Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Milne’s question does deserve a response, because I can guarantee that this bill is all about the investigation of serious criminal offences and threats to national security. It is not in any way intended to give law enforcement or other authorities a mechanism to unlawfully investigate members of parliament.

There are stringent conditions attached to the issuing of these warrants, and they relate to the outlining of the serious criminal offence which is being investigated. If there is a serious criminal offence alleged and it is being investigated, then of course the law must take its course. We believe that those protections are in place and will certainly protect any untoward attempt to abuse this warrant process.

Senator Milne says that the Greens did not want to exempt politicians. I would remind her of the amendment moved yesterday by Senator Brown, which specifically referred to exempting federal or state members of parliament from the interception regime of this bill. That was moved yesterday by Senator Brown and, happily, it was defeated.