Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present the report of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security on the committee's activities for 2023-24, and I move:

That the Senate take note of the report.

Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I won't take too long, but in relation to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, I thank Senator Urquhart for doing a fine job in tabling that report on my behalf. With respect to the committee's annual report and its activities for 2023-24, in line with the requirements under section 31 of the Intelligence Act 2001, the committee annually reports on its activities and provides very detailed dealings of the committee's work in the financial year that ended on 30 June 2024. Over the course of the review period, the committee continued with a very busy work program. It was largely occupied with reviewing a range of prospective and existing national security legislation in addition to its ongoing oversight activities. The year also saw reforms proposed or implemented that affected the committee work, including in relation to terrorist organisations and citizenship cessation, as well as changes to the committee's composition and other matters relating to the committee's administrative workings.

Following the commencement of the National Security Legislation Amendment (Comprehensive Review and Other Measures No.2) Act 2023, in August 2023 the committee's membership increased from 11 to 13.

On 14 September 2023 two new members were appointed by the House of Representatives. The committee then had 12 members and one vacancy for the remainder of the period, up until now. These 12 comprise five senators and seven members of the other place. The act also amended the quorum for the committee, from six to seven.

Over the review period, the committee presented 14 reports, including the annual report, two reviews of the intelligence agencies' administration and expenditure, three reviews of the listing of terrorist organisations, four statutory reviews, and four bill inquiries referred by ministers. The committee also held over 50 meetings and briefings, including eight public hearings, which supported the committee's work across 21 inquiries in total during that period.

Notable reviews and inquiries concluded during the review period included the review of the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Prohibited Hate Symbols and Other Measures) Bill, which banned the use and trade of symbols associated with listed terrorist organisations; amendments to citizenship cessation provisions under the Australian Citizenship Act 2007; and a review of the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Act 2018, in which the committee recommended significant changes to improve the effectiveness of the scheme.

On behalf of the committee, I wish to thank all those who made contributions to the committee's inquiries and reviews during the 2023-24 financial year. I'd like to acknowledge former committee member Mr Peter Khalil MP, who chaired the committee during the period covered by this report, and I'd like to thank all the committee members for their constructive and bipartisan approach over the past year. I commend the report to the Senate.