Submission: National security proposals must comply with human rights

The HRLC has made a submission to the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Intelligence and Security in relation to its inquiry into potential reforms of Australia’s national security legislation. The Committee has been asked to examine a package of national security proposals relating to telecommunications interception, record-keeping and related powers. The HRLC is concerned that many of the mooted reforms to national security legislation raise issues of compliance with Australia’s international human rights obligations. The HRLC’s submission:

  • provides an overview of Australia’s international legal obligations and those human rights principles most relevant to the proposed reforms;
  • addresses a number of the specific proposals contained in the Government’s Discussion Paper; and
  • briefly considers similar proposals in other jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom and the European Union.

Further details about the Committee’s inquiry, including the Attorney-General’s Discussion Paper on the proposals, is available online here.

MichelleBennett