Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Hansard source

Labor is supporting the second amendment on sheet 8776 that has been put forward by Senator Patrick. We support this clause providing oversight and review of this legislation through the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. This is the key role of the PJCIS—to review our national security laws and ensure that they're fit for purpose, effective and adaptable to emerging threats, as Senator Cash herself has highlighted.

On announcing the creation of the Home Affairs portfolio in July 2017, the then Prime Minister of our nation, Prime Minister Turnbull, said:

When it comes to our nation's security, we must stay ahead of the threats against us. There is no room for complacency. There is no room for set and forget.

Our current Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, has used the same phrase when describing everything from Australia's foreign policy, when he said, 'The rules and institutions that support global cooperation must reflect the modern world; it can't be set and forget,' to his emergency response to the drought, when he said, 'Our drought response is not set and forget.' So today, here in this chamber, let's heed the call and not set and forget. Today we can amend this bill in order to ensure that the legislation is creating the best possible outcomes for all Australians. We support this amendment.