David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Hansard source

I think I have already dealt extensively with why the government did not accept the committee’s recommendations on this point, and those reasons apply equally to this amendment. Outside the terrorism context, delayed notification search warrants are needed to investigate, obviously, drug trafficking, child sex tourism and sex slavery networks. They are required to bring those engaged in such activities to account and to enforce the law against them. Also, in circumstances that I have set out with respect to outlaw motorcycle gangs and organised crime, using delayed notification search warrants would mean that those networks could not be tipped off through the provision of a document that would indicate what the enforcement officers were seeking and which would then be challengeable in a jurisdiction such that further evidence would have to be given in support or rebuttal of an injunctive proceeding.

By way of assistance to the opposition, I have provided a short table setting out the government amendments relevant to the Senate committee’s recommendations. I can further provide references to the recommendations with a view to the opposition amendments, should you so require.