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

I am not sure that the senator understands how the legislation works. AUSTRAC information covers transactions in or coming into Australia by Australians and/or foreign nationals. It is a mistake to assume that AUSTRAC information is used only to detect money laundering by Australians. If the senator understands that ASIO deals with internal transactions and that ASIS would receive information relating to money that originates in or has come into Australia but has a nexus to a foreign sovereign power, she can understand that is why the information goes to ASIS. ASIS is not told of onshore Australian-to-Australian transactions. ASIS is never advised of Sydney-to-Melbourne transactions unless there is some nexus, because it would be a completely vestigial and futile exercise to disseminate intelligence that was not relevant to an ASIS agency in any particular country. There has to be a nexus. To some extent, Senator, it is a matter of common sense and logic.