Public hearing to hear from experts on AFP counter-terrorism powers

THE Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) is holding a public hearing on October 16 for its review of the Counter-Terrorism and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023.

The committee will hear from government and non-government representatives to discuss the bill’s proposed amendments to the operation of the Australian Federal Police’s counter-terrorism powers under the Crimes Act 1914 and the Criminal Code Act 1995.

Those powers relate to:

• authority to stop, question and search persons and seize items in Commonwealth places, including in ‘prescribed security zones’ (Crimes Act, Part 1AA, Division 3A);
• the control order regime (Criminal Code Division 104); and
• the preventative detention order regime (Criminal Code Division 105).

PJCIS Chair Peter Khalil MP said, “This Bill implements a number of recommendations from the committee’s review of police powers in 2021, and the committee looks forward to hearing a range of views to inform its consideration of the Counter-Terrorism and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023.”

A program for the hearing can be found here and the hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

Further information on the review can be obtained from the Committee’s website.

 

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