Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

In responding to Senator Shoebridge, I also advise the chamber that the government will not be supporting the Greens amendment. The Commonwealth's Spent Convictions Scheme aims to prevent discrimination on the basis of previous convictions by limiting the use and disclosure of older, less serious convictions and findings of guilt. Under the scheme, certain agencies have exemptions which allow them to use spent conviction information in the performance of their functions. Excluding ASIO from the Spent Convictions Scheme will allow ASIO to use, record and disclose spent convictions information to better perform its functions and exercise its powers, including cooperating with law enforcement. It will also rectify an existing discrepancy whereby law enforcement agencies are able to use, record and disclose spent convictions information for investigations or the prevention of crime while ASIO is prohibited from doing the same.