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

The reason they are on the list is that the list—that is, a list of terrorist organisations that is published under machinery provided for by the Commonwealth Criminal Code—provides that the intelligence experts, not politicians, recommend applying certain criteria to whether or not certain organisations should be listed as terrorist organisations. Senator Lambie, there are many of us in this chamber—and I know you are one of them and I am one as well—who take a very close interest in these matters, but I do not think any of us would be so bold as to say that we are intelligence specialists, so we rely upon the professional advice of intelligence specialists in making this professional judgement.