George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Leyonhjelm, what I can give you is my absolute assurance that in approaching the law reform task, in order to keep Australians safe, the government will be ever mindful of the importance of protecting privacy, protecting the rights of individual citizens and protecting civil liberty. Senator Leyonhjelm, we on this side of the chamber have in our DNA a preference for smaller government rather than larger government and for limiting the power of the state rather than expanding the power of the state. That is a set of principles that I know you share. But I think you would also understand that in certain circumstances it is necessary to give the policing and national security agencies certain additional powers in order to keep the community safe in the face of a new and unprecedented threat.