PARLIAMENTARY REPORT
AUSTRALIA Later in the day, the
Leader of the Opposition the Hon. Bill Shorten, MP, moved that the House has no confidence in the Prime Minister commenting that “17 months ago the Prime Minister promised Australian voters a stable, mature and adult government. What has happened? There have been many promises broken by this government, but the promise to run a stable and mature government is arguably the biggest broken promise of this sad government’s last 17 months.” Mr Shorten further commented that “the problem with this government is that it brought down a budget which broke all the promises it made. They broke their promises. ‘No new taxes’. Tell that to the people paying taxes. ‘No cuts to education’. Tell that to the states losing their funding for schools. Remember the promise about no changes to health care? Tell that to the people paying the GP tax. This nation does not need a new Liberal leader; it needs a new government.” In responding to the motion, Mr Abbott stated that “I will say this to the Leader of the Opposition: sure, this government has not got everything right. Sure, this government does not pretend to be perfect. But this is what this government has not done. We have not wasted billions of dollars. We have not put hundreds of lives at risk. And we have not jeopardised Australia’s vital international relationships. This is a good government which is getting on with the job of working for the Australian people.”
64| The Parliamentarian | 2015: Issue One THIRD READING: AUSTRALIA
Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Act 2014
The Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Act introduces measures that will enhance the capability of Australia’s law enforcement, intelligence and border protection agencies to protect Australian communities from the threat posed by returning foreign fighters and those individuals within Australia supporting foreign conflicts. The Attorney-General, Senator the Hon. George Brandis noted that ‘the rapid resurgence in violent extremism and the participation in overseas conflicts by some Australians present new and complex security challenges for our nation. The ongoing conflicts in Syria and Iraq are adding to this challenge and the number of Australians who have sought to take part, either by directly participating in these conflicts or providing support for extremists fighting there, is unprecedented.’ Senator Brandis stated that “the risk posed by returning foreign fighters is one of the most significant threats to Australia’s national security in recent years. Our security agencies have assessed that around 160 Australians have become involved with extremist groups in Syria and Iraq by travelling to the region, attempting to travel or supporting groups operating there from Australia. While this is not the first time Australians have been involved in overseas conflicts, the scale and scope of the conflicts in Syria and Iraq, and the number of Australians presently involved, is unparalleled and demands specific and targeted measures to mitigate this threat.” The key measures in the legislation include: broadening the criteria and streamlining process for the listing of terrorist organisations and clarify associated offences; preserving and enhancing key counter-terrorism measures due to expire; providing certain law enforcement agencies with the tools
needed to investigate, arrest and prosecute those supporting foreign fighters; updating the available criminal offences so they are relevant and address the modern foreign fighter threat; strengthening protection at Australia’s borders; and limiting the means of travel for foreign fighting or support for foreign fighters.
Senator Brandis concluded that “the Australian Government is committed to fulfilling its most important responsibility – to protect Australia, its people and its interests – and will do so while instilling confidence that our national security and counter-terrorism laws will be exercised in a just and accountable way. This Bill is an important step in the Government’s continuing efforts to strengthen Australia’s robust national security laws to proactively and effectively address the threat posed by returning foreign fighters.”
The Shadow Attorney-General, the Hon. Mark Dreyfuss, MP, advised that the opposition supported the legislation but that it was essential that it be subject to review by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. Mr Dreyfuss noted that the opposition’s bipartisanship on matters of national security is never a blank cheque. Mr Dreyfuss commented that “bipartisanship on national security means that we share the government’s assessment of the current threat and that we will support necessary and effective measures to address the threat. As an opposition, it means that we will conduct our side of the debate and our negotiations with the government in a constructive fashion. But that does not mean we cannot be a constructive critic. It does not mean we will support every measure the government proposes. It does not mean that we will not advocate for improvements to those measures that we support, to ensure that they will be effective.”
Mr Dreyfuss noted that the opposition has fought hard to improve the Bill “both
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