Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I move amendments (2) to (7) standing in my name on sheet 7574:

(2) Schedule 6, item 1, page 81 (lines 4 and 5), to be opposed.

(3) Schedule 6, item 10, page 86 (lines 17 to 19), to be opposed.

(4) Schedule 6, item 13, page 87 (lines 3 to 5), to be opposed.

(5) Schedule 6, item 16, page 87 (lines 16 to 18), to be opposed.

(6) Schedule 6, item 18, page 88 (line 29), omit the penalty, substitute:

Penalty:   Imprisonment for 2 years.

(7) Schedule 6, item 18, page 89 (line 28), omit the penalty, substitute:

Penalty:   Imprisonment for 2 years.

I will be very brief on this. I think we know where people stand on it.

These amendments relate to the proposed increase in penalties for disclosure offences under the bill from two years to ten. I believe these increases are too large, apart from those that relate to putting lives or operations at risk—and I have already supported those. I think that these go too far in the circumstances. I have already indicated my support for the Palmer United Party amendments, also supported by the government, about endangering the life of officers in intelligence operations, but these are too broad. This is similar to the objections I had in relation to the earlier parts of the bill.