(Click on the audio tab above to hear the full report)
Federal Attorney General George Brandis has introduced the government's proposed new counter-terrorism laws into parliament.
The laws address Australians travelling overseas to fight in conflicts and also give authorities extra powers to investigate, arrest and prosecute.
Those laws will now go to a joint parliamentary committee for review and consideration before being debated in parliament in late October.
Amanda Cavill reports.
(Click on the audio tab above to hear the full report)
The Government has introduced the second tranche of its three stage anti-terrorism laws into the Senate.
The Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security will now review the proposed laws.
The Government says the so-called foreign fighters laws would make it easier to identify, charge and prosecute Australians who engage in terrorist activities overseas.
Senator Brandis says there is an urgent need for action to deal with the issue.
"There has been no time since the Cold War, or perhaps even no time including the Cold War, when the domestic threat posed by those who would do us harm has been so immediate, so acute, so present in the minds of our people."
Under the proposed counter-terrorism laws, preachers who encourage others to engage in militant acts could be jailed for up to five years.
The new powers would include Foreign Minister Julie Bishop being able to declare regions or cities in countries where the Government feels terrorist groups are active as proscribed.
Police would also have the power to conduct what amounts to covert search warrants on terrorism suspects' properties.
It would enable them to delay notification of a search warrant for up to six months.
A new offence would also make it illegal for anyone to advocate a terrorist act, even if the act never occurs.
The laws will also make it an offence to travel to, or remain in, an area of what is termed terrorist activity, known as no go zones, without a valid reason.
Labor supports the committee inquiry and the public consultation process that is part of that inquiry.
Opposition legal affairs spokesman Mark Dreyfus says there are some sensible provisions in the bill, such as allowing temporary suspensions of passports.
But Mr Dreyfus is concerned about the provision which criminalises travel to designated areas without a valid excuse.
He says he also believes there are flaws in the preventative detention arrangements, citing police concerns that they cannot actually question suspects during that period.
He says Labor has not decided its final position on any of the provisions in the new laws because of the complexity and number of changes to various other laws involved.
"(It's) a very substantial piece of legislation that amends more than 20 acts of parliament, ranging from the Crimes Act to the Paid Parental Leave Act, and, given the breadth of the legislation, it warrants some serious public consultation and some serious scrutiny."
Palmer United Party senator Glenn Lazarus says he thinks the bill does not go far enough in protecting the identities of Australian spies.
He says he will push for tough penalties for those who expose them.
But independent senator Nick Xenophon says he believes journalists should not be sent to jail for reporting on intelligence operations.
He says he fears media reporting on questionable operations could result in journalists facing jail time.
"Obviously, you need secrecy in order not to identify and compromise a special intelligence operation and not to compromise the safety of intelligence officers. I get that. But after the event, if the operation was in any respects questionable, unethical, even illegal, you as journalists face a very significant jail term for even reporting on that. I think that's a bridge too far."
Before departing for New York for discussions about future action against militants in Iraq, Prime Minister Tony Abbott defended the tough new laws.
Mr Abbott told parliament Australians will have to endure more security than they are used to and more inconvenience than they will like.
"There may be more restrictions on some, so that there can be more protection for others. After all, Madam Speaker, the most basic freedom of all is the freedom to walk the streets unharmed and to sleep safe in our beds at night. So, Madam Speaker, creating new offences that are harder to beat on a technicality may be a small price to pay for saving lives and for maintaining the social fabric of an open, free and multicultural nation."
The first tranche of legislation was introduced to parliament in July.
Part of that legislation would give ASIO officers immunity from criminal charges when they conduct special intelligence operations.
That has caused concern it could leave the way open for Australian spies to torture suspects.
But George Brandis says he will change the laws to ensure that cannot happen.
The third tranche of the laws will be introduced into parliament later in the year and will deal with data retention.
That law would require telecommunications companies to retain customers' phone and computer metadata for around two years.
Share
