Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025

Senator CHISHOLM (Queensland—Assistant Minister for Regional Development, Assistant Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Assistant Minister for Resources and Deputy Manager of Government Business in the Senate) (11:23): I thank honourable members for their contributions to the debate on this bill. The Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 remedies defects preventing agencies from exercising powers in the manner that parliament intended.

The bill makes five key amendments across the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979, the Surveillance Devices Act 2004 and the Crimes Act 1914. Schedule 1 of the bill contains amendments to ensure the Commonwealth is able to comply with its duty of disclosure owed to courts while preserving the intelligence-only nature of network activity warrants.

The bill will also permit the admission into evidence of information obtained under a network activity warrant where necessary to support a fair trial, operate with sophisticated levels of anonymity online and target those most vulnerable in our community. In conclusion the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 will address defects preventing agencies from exercising powers consistent with parliament's intent when enacting the relevant provisions of the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979, the Surveillance Devices Act 2004 and the Crimes Act 1914.

I commend the bill to the Senate. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT ( Senator Ghosh ): The question is that the second reading amendment moved by Senator Shoebridge be agreed to.