Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I won't hold the chamber up unnecessarily. I want to be very clear here that the Selection of Bills Committee has chosen not to refer this legislation to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee. I remind colleagues that this is a bill that will provide the minister even more powers to strip Australian citizenship from people in a way that does not provide for natural justice or procedural fairness.

The Selection of Bills Committee has tried to justify its decision not to refer this bill to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee by arguing that the bill has been referred to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, but this is a completely inadequate justification, because, of course, the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security is a closed shop for the major parties. It does not provide for crossbench input and for a broad consideration that truly reflects the Australian people's right to have scrutiny on these debates. The bill should be considered by the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, which, of course, does have crossbench membership in the form of my position on the committee representing the Australian Greens. The Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence and Security has recommended the passage of some absolutely atrocious authoritarian legislation in its time, doing nothing more than knock off a few rough edges. Having said that, I do note the recent decision of the PJCIS in regards to the Identity-matching Services Bill 2019 and Australian Passports Amendment (Identity-matching Services) Bill 2019 but make the point that this is actually an exception that proves the rule. We know the major parties don't like hearing alternative views on the erosion of fundamental rights and freedoms in this country, and this decision shows that they are, once again, trying to shut the Australian Greens and the crossbench out of the debate.