John Cobb (Calare, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

The Crimes Legislation Amendment (Proceeds of Crime and Other Measures) Bill 2015 includes numerous measures that will clarify and improve Commonwealth criminal justice arrangements. Schedule 1clarifies the operation of the non-conviction based confiscation regime provided under of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002; schedule 2 inserts two new offences of false dealing with accounting documents into the Criminal Code Act 1995, the Commonwealth Criminal Code; and schedule 3 amends the definitions of 'drug analogue' and 'manufacture' in the serious drug offences in part 9.1 of the Criminal Code to ensure that they capture all relevant substances and processes. It will clarify and address operational constraints identified by law enforcement agencies with the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006, and expand the list of designated agencies authorised to access AUSTRAC information to include the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption of South Australia, in schedule 4. Schedule 5 extends and clarifies the circumstances under which AusCheck can disclose AusCheck background check information to Commonwealth, state and territory agencies performing functions related to law enforcement and national security.

With the rise of terrorism Australia needs to ensure it has the best measures in place to keep our nation safe. This bill will see stronger information sharing to address law enforcement issues and combat corruption. Enhanced information sharing will enable the federal government to do everything in our power to detect and deal with organised transnational crime and terrorism. Recent world events remind us that very little planning and time is needed to conduct an attack. The time frame is shrinking but the impact of an attack is catastrophic and long lasting. The images coming out of Paris will stick in the minds of everybody across the globe. That does not mean we have to let these things paralyse us—it certainly does not mean that we have to accept these occurrences as the norm and not deal with them. Sharing information has become critical in these situations—agencies involved in the prevention of such attacks need to be able to share information between more quickly. It is information that could save lives.

The financial intelligence information obtained by the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre plays a central role in identifying and preventing terrorist and criminal activity. This bill will amend Australia's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regime to enable financial intelligence to be shared with key international bodies including Interpol and Europol. The bill will maximise intelligence value through assisting regional and international partner agencies. It will allow intelligence to be better utilised in the early identification, targeting, and disruption of terrorism and transnational crimes.

The measures will also amend the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 to enable the Independent Commission Against Corruption of South Australia to access AUSTRAC's financial intelligence data holdings. Allowing access to this financial intelligence will enhance the commission's ability to investigate serious and systemic corruption and misconduct in public administration.

There are also changes to drug offences. This bill includes new laws making drug offence provisions clearer, more effective and stronger. As drugs continue to trouble Australia—none of us are exempt, whether it is my electorate of Calare or anywhere else in Australia or the world in general—the federal government is committed to stamping out the manufacturing, selling and buying of dangerous illegal substances. Under these laws it will be more difficult for drug traffickers and manufacturers to supply these substances. The bill will ensure that the serious drug offences apply to all substances that are structurally similar to illicit drugs, called 'drug analogues', and all manufacturing methods, including those that do not create a new substance. The coalition will continue to reduce serious drug offending in our communities as the result of substance abuse as it continues to trouble our local police and communities. To do this we must have effective and strong frameworks to stop drug traffickers and organised crime in a bid to reduce Australia's growing addiction to illicit drugs like ice.

Debate interrupted.

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