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

This relates to a fundamental issue that Witness K, a former ASIS officer, has been denied his ability to travel out of the country, notwithstanding that the reason for the denial related to a dispute between Australia and East Timor which now appears, if not on the verge of resolving, to have an alternative path to dispute resolution. I have asked questions in the estimates process in respect of this. I cannot get satisfactory answers, because ASIS is the responsible body. I note that the Director-General of ASIO has no issues with Witness K having a passport. This really is a very significant scandal in the fact that a citizen of this country has been denied the ability to travel overseas.