This inquiry will consider the provisions of the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill 2014.
The Bill was introduced in the Senate on 24 September 2014, and follows the National Security Legislation Amendment Bill (No.1) as the Government's second tranche of legislation in response to the current national security threat.
On 24 September 2014, the Attorney-General wrote to Mr Dan Tehan MP referring the Bill to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security for inquiry and report. In this letter the Attorney-General notes that the Bill contains measures that will:
- create new offences for 'advocating terrorism' and for entering or remaining in a 'declared area';
- broaden the criteria and streamline the process for the listing of terrorist organisations;
- extend instances in which a control order may be sought; extend the sunsetting provisions of the preventative detention order and control order regimes; and include a sunset clause for the 'declared area' offence;
- provide certain law enforcement agencies with additional tools needed to investigate, arrest and prosecute those supporting foreign conflicts;
- limit the means of travel for foreign fighting or support for foreign fighters; and
- strengthen protections at Australia's borders.