Rex Patrick (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

[by video link] I will be supporting this referral on the basis that this particular bill, the Foreign Intelligence Legislation Amendment Bill 2021, has been rushed, as has been described by Senator Thorpe, and it involves some quite extraordinary powers that allow our intelligence agencies to spy on Australians. That's something that has to be considered very carefully. It may be that there are circumstances in which doing so is justified. However, from my reading of the bill, the thresholds aren't well spelt out, and this does require some examination. So I would urge the Senate to support Senator Thorpe's referral.