Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that on 28 November 2023 the Senate agreed to order for production of documents no. 405, which required the tabling of:

(i) the statement of reasons document held by the Attorney-General's Department relating to a terrorist organisation listing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps prepared in January 2023, and

(ii) the 'Nomination Form—Criminal Code' held by the Attorney General's Department relating to a terrorist organisation listing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps prepared in January 2023;

(b) further notes that:

(i) on 30 November 2023, the Attorney-General made a public interest immunity claim in relation to the documents sought, stating that the production of the documents 'would, or might reasonably be expected to, disclose information that would be damaging to Australia's national security',

(ii) on 27 February 2024, the Senate agreed to a further order for production of documents (no. 472), requiring the Minister representing the Attorney-General to provide to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, on a confidential basis, by midday, Thursday 29 February 2024, a copy of the documents that were the subject of the order agreed on 28 November 2023,

(iii) on 29 February 2024, the Attorney-General maintained a claim of public interest immunity, stating again that the production of the documents 'would, or might reasonably be expected to, disclose information that would be damaging to Australia's national security',

(iv) on 28 August 2025, the Senate agreed to a further order of production of documents (no. 125), requiring the Minister representing the Attorney-General to table a copy of the documents that were the subject of the order agreed on 28 November 2023, immediately following the third reading of a bill that gives effect to, or enables, the listing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation, and

(v) on 6 November 2025, the Attorney-General maintained a claim of public interest immunity, stating again that the production of the documents 'would, or might reasonably be expected to, disclose information that would be damaging to Australia's national security'; and

(c) orders that, immediately following the listing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation, the Minister representing the Attorney-General table a copy of the documents that were the subject of the order agreed on 28 November 2023.

Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Early Childhood Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

The government will be opposing this motion. The longstanding practice of governments is to not release national security documents. There is a strong and clear public interest in ensuring documents prepared for government by intelligence and security agencies are not publicly available. In this government's view, it is irresponsible to suggest this should not be the case. While the government respects the Senate and its processes, the government has consistently claimed public interest immunity on the release of these documents, on the basis that the disclosure of these documents would or might reasonably be expected to be damaging to Australia's national security.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that general business notice of motion No. 278, standing in the name of Senator Chandler, be agreed to.