COMMITTEES

Ms MASCARENHAS (Swan) (16:27): On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, I present the committee's report entitled Human rights scrutiny report: report 6 of 2026. Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e). Ms MASCARENHAS: It's fabulous to have so many people in the House to receive this report.

I am pleased to table report 6 of 2026 of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights. In this report, the committee considered 10 new bills and 161 new legislative instruments. It has commented on 12 pieces of legislation, and concluded its examination of one legislative instrument.

In this report, the committee commented on the Defence Force Discipline Amendment (RCDVS Implementation and Related Measures No. 1) Bill 2026. Among other things, this bill would: establish a framework for the disclosure of service offence convictions; update the procedures and powers in proceedings against persons experiencing mental impairment; establish the Defence Mental Health Tribunal; amend post-arrest procedures; and expand the service offence for assaulting, insulting or using provocative words to include harassing another person.

The measures in this bill would engage and limit various rights, including the rights of a person with disability; the rights to privacy, equality and non-discrimination, liberty, health and freedom of expression; as well as the prohibition against torture and ill-treatment. The committee is seeking further information from the minister to assess the compatibility of measures in the bill with these rights.

The committee has also concluded its consideration of the Customs (Deployment of Approved Firearms and Other Approved Items of Personal Defence Equipment) Directions 2026. This instrument sets out the directions to customs officers for the use, issue, storage and management of approved firearms and other approved items of personal defence equipment. The committee considers that, while there are some safeguards regulating the use of force by customs officers, it is not clear that these are adequate, further noting the requirements under international human rights law that the use of potentially lethal force should be a last resort.

The committee considers that the broad authorisations for customs officers to use firearms may not be sufficiently circumscribed. The committee has recommended the instrument be amended to include overarching principles on the use of force by customs officers. I encourage all members to consider the committee's report closely.

With these comments, I commend the committee's scrutiny report 6 of 2026 to the House.