Mr Andrew Hastie MP, Chair of the Committee, and the Hon. Mark Dreyfus QC, MP statements in the House on Tuesday 12 February 2019, updating the Parliament on the progress of the Inquiry. Transcripts of those statements are available at the following links:
Statement by Mr Andrew Hastie MP
Statement by the Hon. Mark Dreyfus QC, MP
The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security has commenced a review of the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Act 2018. The review will consider all aspects of the Act and its implementation, including a review of Government amendments introduced and passed on 6 December 2018, as referred by the Senate in a second reading amendment on 6 December 2018. The Senate’s referral requires the Committee to report by 3 April 2019.
The Government amendments introduced and passed on 6 December 2018 are available at this link. A Supplementary Explanatory Memorandum on the amendments was also presented to the Parliament.
The Committee will accept submissions on any new matters arising with the passage of the Act, and will consider the need for further hearings as the inquiry progresses.
This review is in addition to two separate statutory reviews.
Amendments introduced and passed by the Parliament on 6 December also expanded the scope of the review required to be undertaken by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security on the data retention regime (as set out in the Intelligence Services Act 2001, Part 4 section 29(1)(bc)) to include a review of the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Act 2018. This review will commence by April 2019.
The amendments also require the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor (INSLM) to commence a review 18 months after the date of Royal Assent (8 December 2018).
Information about the Committee’s previous review on the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Bill 2018, as introduced to the Parliament on 20 September 2018 can be found at this link.
Submissions to the Inquiry are now open. Submissions can be uploaded to the committee’s website, www.aph.gov.au/pjcis, or emailed to the Committee Secretariat at pjcis@aph.gov.au. Submissions are due by 5pm on Friday, 22 February 2019.