Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I will not miss the opportunity, if you are going to have a look at this provision a bit further, to also impress upon you that there are two parts to recommendation 25. We did not seek to move an amendment to give effect to the second part, because it really surrounded a broader number of issues. That encompassed the suitability and effectiveness of the AAT members in the warrant-issuing regime together with consideration of ways in which the act may be amended to take account of emerging technologies such as peer-to-peer technology. There are a couple of others that I will not go to now given the lateness of the hour, but there are a number of emerging technologies.

Just so that it is on the record, if you are going to look at it, it is not limited to only those matters of review of the legislation to date but also it encompasses those issues that are a bit broader in compass. There is an important consideration to be looked at about the issuing authority. There is a significant number of these warrants being obtained through the issuing authorities and, more particularly, reliance placed on the AAT. I think there needs to be an explanation as to why that is, if not an examination to ensure that the system is working effectively and efficiently—also that it is not too efficient, in the sense that privacy considerations are not overlooked. That matter should also be included.

Question put:

That the amendments be agreed to.