Tim Wilson (Goldstein, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Small Business) Share this | Hansard source

In rising to speak on the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025, I think we need to acknowledge, tragically, this is the most challenging environment that we are operating in for the security of this nation in a long time. During the past few years, we have seen a massive spike in social division, which is tearing at the social fabric of our nation. We are seeing the rise of extremism, which is a direct consequence of people increasingly feeling like they don't have control over their own lives or their own future. We can debate the sociopolitical consequences that sit behind that, but there is a simple responsibility for people in this parliament to pass the laws necessary and have the agencies properly resourced to keep Australians safe.

We've seen this in recent months in the context, obviously, of the tragedy of the Bondi terrorist attacks and, as the minister mentioned before, on Australia Day, where I think we saw one of the most terrifying—thankfully unfulfilled, but nonetheless still terrifying—attempts. That was the alleged attack in Perth, where an unexploded ordnance was thrown at a number of Indigenous protesters protesting against our national day. We can disagree on the issue or the views, but there is no place in our nation for violence against people exercising those basic rights and freedoms peacefully. I think it sent chills down the spines of many Australians, including mine, that we could have seen, for want of a better phrase, back-to-back fulfilled attacks of this nature. So it speaks to the challenge that we all face right now.

I know those on the front line of the security agencies do everything they can. I am somebody who, of course, believes very much in the importance of people's freedom to be able to live out the best of their lives and that we should temper security measures because of the risks that they can be abused. That's why laws must have proper safeguards, and the compulsory questioning power is no different from that. The compulsory questioning power that ASIO holds has a direct and specific purpose necessary to the proportionality of their functions to make sure that they can find out the nature of what is happening in our community. It is targeted in a way with the safeguards to ensure, firstly, that is not abused but, more importantly, that it has to meet certain thresholds and seek certain levels of approval and power, with political accountability.

The provision of this bill is very important and tragically necessary. I wish it were not and we didn't have to support these types of powers. One of the things I also support is the ongoing review of these powers and sunset clauses so that there's an acknowledgement that they've not become a permanent state of affairs. But we know what happens when they don't exist. It makes Australians weaker and less safe, and that's the basis on which I'm prepared to support the legislation.

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