Bill
Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill 2014
passed, as at 2014-11-03. Attorney-General portfolio.
- Sponsor
- Not recorded
- Portfolio
- Attorney-General
Recorded stages
- introduced — 2014-09-24
- second reading — 2014-09-24
- second reading — 2014-10-28
- second reading — 2014-10-28
- committee — 2014-10-28
- committee — 2014-10-29
- third reading — 2014-10-29
- introduced — 2014-10-30
- second reading — 2014-10-30
- second reading — 2014-10-30
- committee — 2014-10-30
- third reading — 2014-10-30
- passed — 2014-10-30
- royal assent — 2014-11-03
Divisions
- Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill 2014 — Second Reading - Agree with the bill's main idea — 2014-10-28, Senate: affirmative, ayes 47, noes 12
- Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill 2014 - In Committee - Extend sunset clauses — 2014-10-28, Senate: affirmative, ayes 37, noes 12
- Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill 2014 - In Committee - Add extra defences to unauthorise disclosure offence — 2014-10-28, Senate: negative, ayes 12, noes 39
- Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill 2014 - In Committee - Add sunset clause for delayed notification search warrant — 2014-10-28, Senate: negative, ayes 15, noes 40
- Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill 2014 - in Committee - Limit who the advocating terrorism offence applies to — 2014-10-29, Senate: negative, ayes 31, noes 35
- Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill 2014 - in Committee - Support offence of entering and staying in a declared area — 2014-10-29, Senate: affirmative, ayes 39, noes 11
- The majority did not want to change the exceptions to the offence of entering and staying in a declared area. Labor Senator [Penny Wong](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/sa/penny_wong) had proposed to delete the current exceptions and replace them with an [exception](http://www.openaustralia.org/senate/?gid=2014-10-29.57.1) of "entering or remaining for a legitimate purpose". ###Enter or stay in declared area offence The bill will make it an offence for someone to enter or stay in an area that the [Minister for Foreign Affairs](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/representatives/curtin/julie_bishop) declares as a declared area. A whole country can be a declared area, which was [criticised](http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-17/parliamentary-committee-recommends-passing-of-foreign-fighters-/5821514) by the [Joint Parliamentary Committee on Intelligence and Security](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliamentary_Joint_Committee_on_Intelligence_and_Security). The current exceptions to this offence (in [proposed subsection 119.2(3)](http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;db=LEGISLATION;id=legislation%2Fbills%2Fs976_first-senate%2F0001;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Fbills%2Fs976_first-senate%2F0001%22;rec=0)) include when a person is involved in: * [humanitarian aid](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanitarian_aid) (but this has to be the sole act), * a court case, * work for an Australian government (state or federal), * work for a foreign government (so long as it's not violating Australian law), * work for the [United Nations](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations), * journalism, and * visiting a family member. Read more about this new offence in the [bills digest](http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/bd/bd1415a/15bd034). ###Background to the bill A number of incidents happened before and after this bill's introduction. There was [one of the biggest counter-terrorism operations](http://www.abc.net.au/news/201 — 2014-10-29, Senate: negative, ayes 29, noes 34
- Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill 2014 - in Committee - Australian Greens amendments — 2014-10-29, Senate: negative, ayes 11, noes 44
- Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill 2014 - Third Reading - Pass the bill — 2014-10-29, Senate: affirmative, ayes 44, noes 12
Plain-language summary
Written by a model from the explanatory memorandum; not the record, as at 2014-09-24.
The bill would strengthen Australia's counter-terrorism laws to address threats from Australians who fight or train with extremist groups overseas.
It would give security agencies extra powers, improve border security, and cancel welfare payments for people involved in terrorism.
The bill implements recommendations from the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor's second and fourth annual reports and the Council of Australian Governments Review of Counter-Terrorism Legislation.
- Give security agencies additional powers to deal with terrorism within Australia and by Australians overseas.
- Improve border security measures.
- Cancel welfare payments for persons involved in terrorism.
Australians who participate in terrorist activities overseas and security agencies.
Sources
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