Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The opposition also opposes these two amendments. The government’s position is the one that we adopt on this. We have heard evidence in the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs and other committees that if you do increase the threshold from ‘reasonably suspects’ to ‘believes on reasonable grounds’ it does make the job of a police officer on the ground, in the field, a lot more difficult. These are serious matters and we believe the police need every tool they can have. This provision would weaken a tool that they have to combat terrorism.