10th Oct 2024, 12:27 PM – Senate Crimes and Other Legislation Amendment (Omnibus No. 1) Bill 2024 - Second Reading - Human rights concerns

The majority voted against an amendment to the usual second reading motion, which is "that the bill be read a second time" (parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill). This means the usual motion will remain unchanged. The amendment was introduced by Victorian Senator Lidia Thorpe (Independent).

Amendment text

Omit all words after "That", substitute:

"(a) the Senate notes the significant human rights concerns raised by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights (PJCHR) in relation to this bill, which remain unresolved, including recommendations that foundational human rights assessments be conducted of the:

(i) Crimes Act 1914,

(ii) Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, and

(iii) Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979, with particular focus on the right to privacy;

(b) the Senate calls on the PJCHR to exercise its function under section 7 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011 to examine laws for compatibility with human rights and examine the above Acts that the bill seeks to amend and report to both Houses of the Parliament on their compatibility with human rights; and

(c) further consideration of the bill be made an order of the day for the first sitting day after the PJCHR has presented a report of its examination of the above Acts to the Senate".