James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, I rise today to present a report by way of a statement of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security for the review of regulations relisting Jama'at Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and the listing of Neo-Jama'at Mujahideen Bangladesh (Neo-JMB) as terrorist organisations under the Criminal Code Act 1995.

Regulations that specify an organisation as a terrorist organisation cease to have effect on the third anniversary of the day on which they take effect. Organisations can be relisted, provided the minister is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the organisation continues to directly or indirectly engage in terrorism or advocate the doing of a terrorist act.

Jama'at Mujahideen Bangladesh was last listed in 2018, and the regulations to relist them were tabled in parliament on 2 June 2021.

Neo-Jama'at Mujahideen Bangladesh (Neo-JMB) was first listed as an alias of Jama'at Mujahideen Bangladesh in 2018 and following advice from Australian government agencies is now considered to be an organisation that operates independently of Jama'at Mujahideen Bangladesh. The regulations to relist them were tabled in parliament on 2 June 2021.

The committee's review examines the minister's decision to relist and list these organisations. Section 102.1A of the Criminal Code provides that the committee may review a regulation which relists or lists an organisation as a terrorist organisation and report its comments and recommendations to each house of the parliament before the end of the applicable 15-sitting-day disallowance period. This statement serves this purpose and is being presented within the required period.

In determining whether the regulations relisting and listing these organisations should be supported, the committee reviewed the merits in accordance with the Minister for Home Affairs' explanatory statement, ASIO's statement of reasons for the organisations, and other publicly available information.

In its deliberations, the committee determined that:

There is evidence that these groups continue to be engaging in, preparing, assisting with or fostering terrorist activities that could potentially and profoundly impact the Australian people.

In examining the evidence that has been provided, the committee is satisfied with the relisting processes and considers that they have been followed appropriately for these organisations. The committee therefore supports the relisting and listing of JMB and Neo-JMB under division 102 of the Criminal Code in order to protect Australians and Australia's interests, and finds no reason to disallow the regulations.

I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.