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2019 THE PARLIAMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COUNTER-TERRORISM (TEMPORARY EXCLUSION ORDERS) (CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS) BILL 2019 EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM (Circulated by authority of the Minister for Home Affairs, the Hon. Peter Dutton MP)-1- Counter-Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2019 OUTLINE The Counter-Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2019 (the Bill) makes amendments consequential to the Counter-Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) Bill 2019, which introduces a temporary exclusion orders scheme to delay Australians of counter-terrorism interest from re-entering Australia until appropriate protections are in place. FINANCIAL IMPACT STATEMENT The financial impact of the Bill is nil.
-2- STATEMENT OF COMPATIBILITY WITH HUMAN RIGHTS A Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights has been completed in relation to the amendments in this Bill and assesses that the amendments are compatible with Australia's human rights obligations. A copy of the Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights is at Attachment A.
-3- COUNTER-TERRORISM (TEMPORARY EXCLUSION ORDERS) BILL 2019 Notes on individual clauses Part 1 Preliminary Clause 1 Short title 1. Clause 1 provides for the short title of the Act to be the Counter Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) (Consequential Amendments) Act 2019. Clause 2 Commencement 2. Subclause 2(1) provides that each provision of this Bill specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms. 3. Table item 1 provides that clauses 1 - 3 of this Bill will commence on the day this Bill receives Royal Assent. 4. Table item 2 provides that Schedule 1 of this Bill commences at the same time as the Counter Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) Act 20191 commences. It also provides that the provisions do not commence if that Act does not commence. 5. A note explains that this table relates only to the provisions of this Bill as originally enacted. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments. 6. Subsection 2(2) provides that any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this Bill. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this Bill. Clause 3 Schedules 7. This clause is the formal enabling provision for the Schedules to the Bill, providing that each Act specified in a Schedule is amended or repealed in accordance with the applicable items in the Schedule. This Bill amends the Intelligence Services Act 2001 and the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor Act 2010. Schedule 1 - Amendments Independent National Security Legislation Monitor Act 2010 Item 1 Section 4 (at the end of the definition of counter terrorism and national security legislation) 8. Part 1 of the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor Act 2010 sets out a number of preliminary matters. Existing section 4 of Part 1 provides definitions of relevant terms in the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor Act 2010.
-4- 9. This item inserts new paragraph 4(g) which will add Part 2 of the Counter Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) Act 2019 into the definition of counter-terrorism and national security legislation. 10. The purpose of this item is to enable the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor to review, on his or her own initiative, the operation, effectiveness and implications of the Counter Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) Act 2019. 11. It is important that the scheme set up by the Bill is able to be reviewed to determine its operation as intended, its effectiveness in helping to protect the Australian community, and its implications and any unintended consequences that may have become apparent. 12. This item gives effect to Recommendation 16 of the Advisory report on the Counter- Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) Bill 2019 published by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security on 3 April 2019. Intelligence Services Act 2001 Item 2 After paragraph 29(1)(cb) 13. Part 4 of the Intelligence Services Act 2001 establishes the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. Existing subsection 29(1) of Part 4 of the Intelligence Services Act 2001 sets out the functions of the Committee. 14. This item inserts new paragraphs 29(1)(cc) and (cd) into the Intelligence Services Act 2001, which would establish as Committee functions: to review, by the end of the period of 3 years beginning on the day the Counter Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) Act 2019 commenced, the operation, effectiveness and implications of that Act; and to monitor and review the exercise of powers under the Counter Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) Act 2019 by the Minister administering that Act. 15. The purpose of this item is to require the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security to review the operation, effectiveness and implications of, and monitor and enable the review of the exercise of powers under, the Counter Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) Act 2019. 16. It is important that the scheme set up by the Bill is reviewed to determine its operation as intended, its effectiveness in helping to protect the Australian community, and its implications and any unintended consequences that may have become apparent. 17. This item gives effect to Recommendation 15 of the Advisory report on the Counter- Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) Bill 2019 published by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security on 3 April 2019.
-5- Attachment A Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights Prepared in accordance with Part 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011 Counter-Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2019 This Bill is compatible with the human rights and freedoms recognised or declared in the international instruments listed in section 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011. Overview of the Bill 1. This Bill makes amendments consequential to the Counter-Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) Bill 2019, which introduces a temporary exclusion orders scheme (TEO scheme) to temporarily delay Australians of counter-terrorism interest from entering Australia until appropriate protections are in place. The TEO scheme will enable greater control over the return of these Australians by providing a streamlined mechanism to impose conditions, including notification requirements, and facilitate the monitoring of the individuals who may pose a threat to the Australian community. 2. The Bill amends the Intelligence Services Act 2001 to provide that it is a function of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) to monitor and review the exercise of powers under the TEO scheme. The PJCIS is also required to review, by three years after the date of commencement, the operation and effectiveness of the TEO scheme. These measures implement Recommendations 15 and 17 of the PJCIS Report. 3. The Bill amends the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor Act 2010 to include, in the definition of 'counter-terrorism and national security legislation', the Act that creates the TEO scheme. The intent of this amendment is to enable the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor (INSLM) to review the operation, effectiveness, and implications of the TEO scheme on his or her own initiative at any time. This partially implements Recommendation 16 of the PJCIS Report. Human rights implications 4. The consequential amendments in this Bill do not directly engage any specific human rights or freedoms. Rather, the broad oversight mechanisms that the Bill introduces provide additional protections to ensure that any limitations placed on human rights by the TEO scheme are reasonable, necessary and proportionate. 5. This Bill supplements the Counter-Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) Bill 2019, which directly engages a range of human rights. To the extent that the TEO scheme places any limitations on human rights, such limitations are reasonable, necessary and proportionate to achieving the legitimate objective of protecting the Australian community. The Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights accompanying the Counter-Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) Bill 2019 provides detailed explanation to this end, specifically addressing: (a) The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (i) Article 6 - right to work (ii) Article 9 - right to liberty and security (iii) Article 12(1) - right to freedom of movement (iv) Article 12(4) - right to enter one's own country
-6- (v) Article 14 - right to a fair trial (vi) Article 17 - right to privacy (vii) Article 17 and 23 - rights relating to the family unit (viii) Article 19 - right to freedom of expression (ix) Article 22 - right to freedom of association (b) Convention on the Rights of the Child (x) Article 3 - the best interests of the child (xi) Article 10 - family reunification (xii) Article 12 - right to participate in judicial or administrative proceedings (xiii) Article 28 - right to education (xiv) Article 31 - right to participation in cultural life (c) International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (xv) Article 13 - right to education (xvi) Article 15 - right to participation in cultural life 6. This Bill implements additional oversight and accountability safeguards to ensure that independent and objective third parties will review the operation of the TEO scheme. These oversight and accountability measures enhance the transparency of the TEO scheme and include: (a) enabling the PJCIS to monitor and review the exercise of powers under the TEO scheme. The PJCIS is also required to review, by three years after the date of commencement, the operation and effectiveness of the TEO scheme (b) enabling the INSLM to review the operation, effectiveness, and implications of the TEO scheme on his or her own initiative at any time. 7. These measures enhance the transparency of the TEO scheme's operation. The PJCIS and INSLM reviews ensure that the operation of the TEO scheme is periodically and thoroughly reviewed by an objective third party. They are intended to encourage public scrutiny of the operation of the TEO scheme and protect the human rights that are engaged by the TEO scheme. These oversight measures and the potential for public scrutiny contribute to ensuring that any limitation of human rights engaged by the TEO scheme is confined to what is reasonable, necessary and proportionate to the legitimate objective of protecting the Australian community. Conclusion 8. This Bill indirectly strengthens the protection of human rights. This Bill is compatible with human rights and does not raise any human rights issues. Hon Peter Dutton MP, Minister for Home Affairs