edited
30th Nov 2023
Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment Bill 2023 - Second Reading - Agree with the bill's main idea
Passed by a modest majority
No rebellions 53% attendance
9th Aug 2023, 11:06 AM – Senate Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment Bill 2023 - in Committee - Safeguard on sharing information
Summary
EditThe majority voted against amendments introduced by NSW Senator David Shoebridge (Greens), which means they failed.
What was the purpose of the amendments?
Senator Shoebridge explained that:
These amendments, taken together, would amend the two substantive elements of this bill which currently provide a capacity for the Attorney-General to limit the sharing of the foreign intelligence information obtained under a warrant whereby the bill as drafted permits the Attorney-General to specify a purpose for which the information can be shared. But the drafting, very intentionally, in providing purpose, if any, identified by the Attorney-General, does not require the Attorney-General to so specify the purpose for which the information can be shared.
Given the government's position that there are critical safeguards in the bill, it's our view that that should be more than verbiage, it should be included in the actual drafting of the bill. These amendments taken together require the Attorney-General to put a purpose in and, to avoid doubt, provide that foreign intelligence information cannot be communicated if the Attorney-General does not approve in writing any purposes. That's the ultimate safeguard.
Amendment text
(1) Schedule 1, item 1, page 3 (line 9), omit "(if any)".
(2) Schedule 1, item 1, page 3 (after line 21), after subsection 65(1B), insert:
(1C) To avoid doubt, foreign intelligence information must not be communicated under subsection (1A) if the Attorney-General does not approve, in writing, any purposes for the purposes of paragraph (1A)(b).
(3) Schedule 1, item 3, page 3 (line 29), omit "(if any)".
(4) Schedule 1, page 4 (after line 6), after item 4, insert:
4A After subsection 65(2)
Insert:
(2A) To avoid doubt, foreign intelligence information must not be communicated or used under paragraph (2)(a) if the Attorney-General does not approve, in writing, any purposes for the purposes of that paragraph.
(6) Schedule 1, item 7, page 4 (line 15), omit "(if any)".
(7) Schedule 1, item 7, page 4 (after line 27), after subsection 137(1B), insert:
(1C) To avoid doubt, foreign intelligence information must not be communicated under subsection (1A) if the Attorney-General does not approve, in writing, any purposes for the purposes of paragraph (1A)(a).
(8) Schedule 1, item 9, page 5 (line 5), omit "(if any)".
(9) Schedule 1, item 9, page 5 (after line 14), after subsection 137(3), insert:
(3A) To avoid doubt, foreign intelligence information must not be communicated or used under paragraph (3)(a) if the Attorney-General does not approve, in writing, any purposes for the purposes of that paragraph.
Votes Not passed by a modest majority
Nobody rebelled against their party.
| Party | Votes | |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Greens (82% turnout) | 9 Yes – 0 No | |
| Dorinda Cox WA | Yes | |
| Mehreen Faruqi NSW | Yes | |
| Sarah Hanson-Young SA | Yes | |
| Nick McKim Tasmania | Yes | |
| Barbara Pocock SA | Yes | |
| Janet Rice Victoria | Yes | |
| David Shoebridge NSW | Yes | |
| Larissa Waters Queensland | Yes | |
| Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania | Yes | |
| Penny Allman-Payne Queensland | Absent | |
| Jordon Steele-John WA | Absent | |
| Australian Labor Party (84% turnout) | 0 Yes – 21 No | |
| Tim Ayres NSW | No | |
| Catryna Bilyk Tasmania | No | |
| Carol Brown Tasmania | No | |
| Anthony Chisholm Queensland | No | |
| Raff Ciccone Victoria | No | |
| Don Farrell SA | No | |
| Nita Green Queensland | No | |
| Karen Grogan SA | No | |
| Malarndirri McCarthy NT | No | |
| Deborah O'Neill NSW | No | |
| Fatima Payman WA | No | |
| Helen Polley Tasmania | No | |
| Louise Pratt WA | No | |
| Tony Sheldon NSW | No | |
| Marielle Smith SA | No | |
| Glenn Sterle WA | No | |
| Jana Stewart Victoria | No | |
| Anne Urquhart Tasmania | No | |
| Jess Walsh Victoria | No | |
| Murray Watt Queensland | No | |
| Linda White Victoria | No | |
| Patrick Dodson WA | Absent | |
| Katy Gallagher ACT | Absent | |
| Jenny McAllister NSW | Absent | |
| Penny Wong SA | Absent | |
| Jacinta Nampijinpa Price NT Country Liberal Party | Absent | |
| Andrew McLachlan SA Deputy President | Absent | |
| David Pocock ACT Independent | No | |
| Lidia Thorpe Victoria Independent | Absent | |
| David Van Victoria Independent | Absent | |
| Jacqui Lambie Network (50% turnout) | 0 Yes – 1 No | |
| Tammy Tyrrell Tasmania | No | |
| Jacqui Lambie Tasmania | Absent | |
| Liberal National Party (0% turnout) | Absent | |
| Matthew Canavan Queensland | Absent | |
| James McGrath Queensland | Absent | |
| Liberal Party (9% turnout) | 0 Yes – 2 No | |
| Sarah Henderson Victoria | No | |
| James Paterson Victoria | No | |
| Alex Antic SA | Absent | |
| Wendy Askew Tasmania | Absent | |
| Simon Birmingham SA | Absent | |
| Andrew Bragg NSW | Absent | |
| Slade Brockman WA | Absent | |
| Michaelia Cash WA | Absent | |
| Claire Chandler Tasmania | Absent | |
| Richard Colbeck Tasmania | Absent | |
| Jonathon Duniam Tasmania | Absent | |
| David Fawcett SA | Absent | |
| Hollie Hughes NSW | Absent | |
| Jane Hume Victoria | Absent | |
| Maria Kovacic NSW | Absent | |
| Kerrynne Liddle SA | Absent | |
| Matt O'Sullivan WA | Absent | |
| Marise Payne NSW | Absent | |
| Gerard Rennick Queensland | Absent | |
| Linda Reynolds WA | Absent | |
| Anne Ruston SA | Absent | |
| Paul Scarr Queensland | Absent | |
| Dean Smith WA | Absent | |
| National Party (25% turnout) | 0 Yes – 1 No | |
| Ross Cadell NSW | No | |
| Perin Davey NSW | Absent | |
| Susan McDonald Queensland | Absent | |
| Bridget McKenzie Victoria | Absent | |
| Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party (0% turnout) | Absent | |
| Pauline Hanson Queensland | Absent | |
| Malcolm Roberts Queensland | Absent | |
| Sue Lines WA President | Absent | |
| Ralph Babet Victoria United Australia Party | No | |
| Totals (47% turnout) | 9 Yes – 27 No |
Turnout is the percentage of members eligible to vote that did vote.