Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport) Share this | Hansard source

There are no other speakers, so I will sum up. I thank parliamentary colleagues for their contribution to the debate. Australians were shocked and saddened by the despicable terrorist attacks on innocent members of the public in London on Friday afternoon. Australia's deepest sympathies lie with the victims and all of their families. While the bill predicates this tragic event, sadly, this event once again demonstrates the need for legislative measures in this bill which are aimed at protecting Australian communities from terrorist offenders.

Since September 2014 Australia's national terrorism threat level has been set at probable. This means that there's credible intelligence assessed by our security agents indicating that individuals or groups continue to pose the intent and capability to conduct a terrorist act here in Australia. In the prevailing threat environment, it is critical that Australia's counterterrorism legislative framework remains effective and responsive to the evolving threat of terrorism. The measure in the bill strengthens the tool that law enforcement and intelligence agencies have to protect the public from the threat of terrorism.

I thank the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security for its detailed considerations of this bill. The work of the committee was invaluable in ensuring that the measures contained in the bill are necessary, reasonable and proportionate. The bill reflects the government's ongoing commitment to protecting the Australian community from terrorism and ensures that our law enforcement and security agencies have the powers they need to respond to the evolving threat of terrorism. I commend this bill to the House.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

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