Sid Sidebottom (Braddon, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

It gives me great pleasure to represent the Attorney-General in presenting this bill. I thank all members—the members for Stirling, Fowler and Cowan—for their contributions to the debate and also for their strong support for the agencies that help keep this country and our community safe. Most especially, I thank them for their contribution to this debate on the Telecommunications Interception and other Legislation Amendment (State Bodies) Bill 2012.

The bill makes amendments to four Commonwealth acts to facilitate telecommunications interception and access powers for the Victorian Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission, now called the IBACC. The Victorian government has announced that it is abolishing the existing Office of Police Integrity and is establishing the IBACC. The IBACC will become the body responsible for overseeing the Victoria Police and other public officials. The newly established Victorian Inspectorate will oversee the IBACC.

The bill also makes amendments to support the establishment of a Victorian Public Interest Monitor, or PIM. The Public Interest Monitor body has been established to represent the public interest during applications for a range of covert warrants by Victorian agencies. Other states, such as New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia have already established anticorruption commissions which can access these interception act investigative powers. It is intended that the Victorian IBACC will be given access to the same investigative interception act powers that are available to corresponding bodies in the other states. I commend the legislation.

Question agreed to.

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