Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 790, standing in my name and the name of Senator McKim for today, relating to Indigenous rangers.

Leave granted.

I, and on behalf of Senator McKim, move the motion as amended:

Senator Siewert, also on behalf of Senator McKim, amended general business notice of motion no. 790 by leave and, pursuant to notice of motion not objected to as a formal motion, moved:

That the Senate:

(a)   notes with deep concern reports that Indigenous rangers could be caught up in the Government’s proposed foreign interference laws, in particular, the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Bill 2017;

(b)   expresses confusion that Indigenous rangers could find themselves cast as foreign agents by advocating in favour of their program, simply because they are funded by an American charitable trust;

(c)   affirms that the Indigenous rangers program plays a critical role in protecting country, and providing meaningful employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples;

(d)   further affirms the importance of advocacy and civil society in a healthy democracy; and

(e)   calls on the Federal Government to:

(i)   acknowledge that its package of legislation relating to foreign influence, including the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Bill 2017, the National Security Legislation Amendment (Espionage and Foreign Interference) Bill 2017, and the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Funding and Disclosure Reform) Bill 2017 goes beyond their stated purpose of reducing foreign influence, and

(ii)   commit to work with stakeholders to ensure the final outcome does not impinge on civil society and democracy in Australia.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government does not support this motion. The government is providing record funding to support almost 3,000 jobs for Indigenous rangers. The Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme would not prohibit foreign funding for Indigenous rangers. It merely requires groups funded by foreign principals for the purpose of influencing Australian democracy to register. Similarly, the foreign donations reforms are designed to ensure all political campaigning targeting Australians is paid for by Australians. The government is open to sensible refinements, following receipt of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security's report, to ensure the scheme achieves its important transparency objective.

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a brief statement.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute, Senator Collins.

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Labor members and senators have been proud to stand with a broad coalition of charities and not-for-profits to defend the right to advocate and speak out on issues affecting our society. Labor has led the way on reforming political donations and removing foreign influence from the political process, and the opposition has made a commitment to keep working to ban foreign donations. The opposition believes that we can clean up donations without silencing our community sector. The opposition is not interested in laws which punish Australian charities and not-for-profits. The opposition will be supporting this motion, and we call on the government to listen to these very real concerns.

Question agreed to.