Robert McClelland (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the amendment be agreed to.

Briefly, the government proposes to amend this bill by including an additional schedule 8, which will expand the membership of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security from nine to 11 members, and to increase a quorum of the committee from five to six members.

The amendments also clarify that the committee may continue to use evidence taken by or produced to it by the same or another parliament, even where the committee ceases to exist or its membership changes. A transitional provision is also included to ensure the amendments do not affect the appointment of members to the committee before the commencement of these amendments.

The committee provides an important role in the scrutiny of the administration and expenditure of Australia’s security and intelligence organisations and I recommend the amendments to the House.

Question agreed to.

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