Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 790, standing in my name and the name of Senator McKim for today, relating to Indigenous rangers.

Leave granted.

I, and on behalf of Senator McKim, move the motion as amended:

Senator Siewert, also on behalf of Senator McKim, amended general business notice of motion no. 790 by leave and, pursuant to notice of motion not objected to as a formal motion, moved:

That the Senate:

(a)   notes with deep concern reports that Indigenous rangers could be caught up in the Government’s proposed foreign interference laws, in particular, the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Bill 2017;

(b)   expresses confusion that Indigenous rangers could find themselves cast as foreign agents by advocating in favour of their program, simply because they are funded by an American charitable trust;

(c)   affirms that the Indigenous rangers program plays a critical role in protecting country, and providing meaningful employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples;

(d)   further affirms the importance of advocacy and civil society in a healthy democracy; and

(e)   calls on the Federal Government to:

(i)   acknowledge that its package of legislation relating to foreign influence, including the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Bill 2017, the National Security Legislation Amendment (Espionage and Foreign Interference) Bill 2017, and the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Funding and Disclosure Reform) Bill 2017 goes beyond their stated purpose of reducing foreign influence, and

(ii)   commit to work with stakeholders to ensure the final outcome does not impinge on civil society and democracy in Australia.