Senate debates

Thursday, 26 March 2015

Bills

Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Bill 2015; In Committee

1:35 pm

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

I reiterate and indicate that the amendments I have moved would require the Public Interest Advocate, in addition to having broader powers, to be a contradictor—in other words, to be a genuine devil's advocate in relation to a journalist's information warrant being obtained. A key element of it, which has similarities and parallels with the American system or the American approach to this, is that, as a general rule, there will be consultation with media outlets. The Americans—our closest allies—do not have a problem when seeking journalists' metadata to consult, as a general principle—

Comments

No comments