John Hogg (President) Share this | Hansard source

Order! The time allotted for the consideration of these bills has now expired. The question is that these bills be now read a second time.

Question agreed to.

Bills read a second time.

In respect of the Public Interest Disclosure Bill 2013, the question is that amendments (1) to (10) on sheet 7420, circulated by the Australian Greens, be agreed to.

Australian Greens ' circulated amendments—

(1) Page 22 (after line 7), at the end of Division 1, add:

24A Act of grace payments

(1) The Minister may authorise one or more payments of an amount or amounts specified in the authorisation to a person who has made a public interest disclosure (even though the payment or payments would not otherwise be authorised by law or required to meet a legal liability), if:

(a) the Minister is satisfied that the disclosure resulted in protection or the reclaiming of public money; or

  (b) the Minister considers, in the Minister's absolute discretion, that there are reasons of public interest for making the payment or payments.

(2) Nothing in subsection (1) has the effect of appropriating the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the purposes of making a payment under that subsection.

(2) Clause 31, page 31 (lines 31 to 34), omit paragraph (b).

(3) Clause 36, page 35 (line 29), before "An", insert "(1)".

(4) Clause 36, page 36 (line 3), at the end of the definition of authorised officer, add:

  ; or (c) in the case of a House of the Parliament:

     (i) a Senator or Member who belongs to that House or a public official who belongs to the Finance Department; and

     (ii) is appointed, in writing, by the principal officer of that House (with the agreement of the principal officer of the Finance Department, if the public official belongs to the Finance Department), as an authorised officer for the purposes of this Act.

(5) Clause 36, page 36 (after line 3), at the end of the clause, add:

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (c) of the definition of authorised officer, the Finance Department means the Department administered by the Minister administering the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.

(6) Clause 41, page 36 (line 7) to page 36 (line 16), omit paragraphs (1)(a) and (b), substitute:

  (a) information that has originated with, or has been received from, an intelligence agency that is about, or that might reveal:

     (i) a source of information; or

     (ii) the technologies or methods used, proposed to be used, or being developed for use, by an intelligence agency to collect, analyse, secure or otherwise deal with, information; or

     (iii) operations that have been, are being, or are proposed to be, undertaken by an intelligence agency;

(7) Clause 41, page 36 (line 32), omit "(b),".

(8) Clause 69, page 61 (after table item 12), insert:

(9) Clause 71, page 65 (after line 15), after paragraph (b), insert:

  (ba) a House of the Parliament; or

(10) Clause 73, page 67 (after table item 2), insert:

Question negatived.