The proposed anti-terror laws were introduced to parliament on Wednesday September 24, almost one week after the largest counter-terror operation in Australian history.
The bill can be read in full at the end of this article.
Under the proposed laws, radical preachers who encourage others to engage in extremist acts could be jailed for up to five years, while it will also be illegal for anyone to advocate a terrorist act.
Other proposed provisions include:
- passports being suspended for up to 14 days without notice to the individual in question
- use of force being authorised in the execution of search warrants
- control orders being issued to people who have engaged in armed hostilities in a foreign state
- making it illegal to enter or remain in a “declared zone” where a terrorist organisation is engaging in hostile activity
- broadening the criteria and streamlining the process for the listing of terrorist organisations
- stopping welfare payments such as the family assistance to individuals on “security grounds"
If adopted, the legislation would remove “the requirement that the prosecution must prove that a person intended to engage in a hostile activity in a particular foreign country, rather than in any foreign country”.
It would also see the definition of a “terrorism offence” amended.
Mr Brandis told media on Monday he had included the provision to clarify that ASIO has no power to engage in that practise, adding that no agency had undertaken torture.
“Torture is against Australian law,” he said.
“No operation which authorised torture could ever be validly authorised under the powers that ASIO has.
“Nevertheless, I don’t want the discussion of this important issue to be diverted by an issue that is effectively a red herring.”
