COMMITTEES

Senator CICCONE (Victoria) (17:38): I present the report of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security on the Criminal Code Amendment (State Sponsors of Terrorism) Bill 2025. I move: That the Senate take note of the report. The Criminal Code Amendment (State Sponsors of Terrorism) Bill 2025 amends the Criminal Code Act 1995 to create a new legislative framework enabling the listing of an entity as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Under this framework an entity may be listed if the minister responsible for the Australian Federal Police is satisfied that it is a foreign state entity and that it, or one of its members, has engaged in, prepared, planned, assisted in or fostered the doing of a terrorist act that was targeted in Australia or has advocated the doing of a terrorist act that was targeted at Australia.

Before any regulations are made listing an entity as a state sponsor of terrorism, the AFP minister must (1) attain the foreign affairs minister's agreement to the entity being specified for the purposes of that definition and (2) arrange for the Leader of the Opposition to be briefed in relation to the proposed regulation. The bill introduces new offences to criminalise terrorist activity by listed state entities or their proxies and conduct by persons who support such activities.

In order to address the potential consequences of criminalising state entities, the bill includes defences and exemptions to protect lawful engagement with listed entities for legitimate purposes, including humanitarian assistance. The committee received 15 submissions to its review, with most submissions expressing support for the bill in whole or in part. The committee held a public hearing on 16 October this year, and we are grateful to those who provided evidence to the inquiry in a very short timeframe.

I'd also like to note the great work by the secretariat in turning around the report so quickly. It is no secret that this bill follows ASIO's August announcement that the Iranian regime's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had directed at least two attacks here in Australia in 2024. These amendments will strengthen Australia's counterterrorism framework, allowing our national security agencies to take strong action against those who would do us harm.

With this bill, the Albanese government is keeping Australians safe—which is the priority of any government—by making it more difficult for malicious foreign actors to operate in our nation. The committee has recommended amendments to facilitate parliamentary oversight of AFP counterterrorism functions under the new part 5.3A of the Criminal Code. With amendments, it will give the committee the ability to monitor and review AFP counterterrorism functions related to state sponsors of terrorism to the same extent that it monitors such functions in relation to non-state terrorist organisations.

On that note, the committee would otherwise support the bill and recommend that it be passed. I commend the report to the Senate. Question agreed to.