Senate debates

Wednesday, 31 July 2019

Bills

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment (Sunsetting of Special Powers Relating to Terrorism Offences) Bill 2019, Treasury Laws Amendment (Consumer Data Right) Bill 2019; First Reading

7:08 pm

Photo of Anne RustonAnne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | | Hansard source

I indicate to the Senate that these bills are being introduced together. After debate on the motion for the second reading has been adjourned, I shall move a motion to have the bills listed separately on the Notice Paper. I move:

That these bills may proceed without formalities, may be taken together and be now read a first time.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a first time.

by leave—I move:

That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the bills, allowing them to be considered during this period of sittings.

I table statements of reasons justifying the need for these bills to be considered during these sittings and seek leave to have the statements incorporated into Hansard.

Leave is granted.

The statement read as follows—

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2019 WINTER/SPRING SITTINGS

AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION AMENDMENT (SUNSETTING OF SPECIAL POWERS RELATING TO TERRORISM OFFENCES) BILL

Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of the Bill is to amend the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 (the ASIO Act) to extend the sunsetting date for ASIO's questioning and detention powers under Division 3 of Part III of the ASIO Act for a further 12 months, from 7 September 2019 to 7 September 2020.

Reasons for Urgency

An extension of the sunsetting date will enable adequate time for complex reforms to these powers to be progressed in Parliament, while ensuring that the current powers do not lapse.

The Bill requires timely passage in order to ensure that the current powers do not lapse before the passage of more substantive reforms to the powers.

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2019 WINTER/SPRING SITTINGS

TREASURY LAWS AMENDMENT (CONSUMER DATA RIGHT) BILL

Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of the bill is to enact a right for consumers to access their banking (and other designated sectors) data in a form that facilitates its transfer and use, and to instruct their banking (and other designated sector) providers to share their data with nominated third parties confidentially and securely.

Reasons for Urgency

Stakeholder implementation of the regime is already well progressed for a February 2020 launch for consumer data access. Delays would impose major costs on industry and agencies implementing the regime and delay implementation significantly.

Passage of the bill is required well in advance of the launch of consumer data access to provide industry with certainty for information technology builds, enable pre-launch processing of accreditation and give legislative support for information security and consumer testing while also providing the relevant agencies the powers to issue rules and standards for banking.

Question agreed to.