logo
#

Latest news with #TonyBurke

Asio's 9/11-era questioning powers to become permanent despite warnings from human rights advocates
Asio's 9/11-era questioning powers to become permanent despite warnings from human rights advocates

The Guardian

time2 hours ago

  • Politics
  • The Guardian

Asio's 9/11-era questioning powers to become permanent despite warnings from human rights advocates

Labor will make domestic spy agency Asio's powers for compulsory questioning permanent and expand offences covered by the rules, ignoring warnings from human rights advocates about the need for ongoing parliamentary scrutiny. The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, introduced legislation on the first full day of parliamentary sittings to add sabotage, promotion of communal violence, attacks on the defence system, and serious threats to Australia's border security to the rules for compulsory questioning. But the bill would also end so-called sunset provisions, the effective expiry dates which require parliament to reconsider the powers on a regular basis. Under the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act, intelligence operatives have powers to issue a questioning warrant requiring a person as young as 14 to give information or produce items that may assist in a serious investigation. The powers are scheduled to sunset on 7 September this year. They will be temporarily extended, for 18 months, to allow parliament to consider the wider bill, which would make the powers permanent. Introduced in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in the United States, the powers have hardly been used since 2020, with just four warrants served on three people, in counter-terror and espionage cases. Part of a slew of new legislation introduced to federal parliament on Wednesday, Burke called powers in the bill 'a vital capability in protecting Australia and Australians from threats to their security.' 'Since its introduction, the framework has been subject to five parliamentary reviews and two independent reviews, causing the Parliament to extend the sunset date five times,' he said. 'Removing the sunset provision reflects the government's view that these powers now form an essential part of Asio's collection powers, particularly in light of the threat environment.' Burke said existing safeguards and oversight mechanisms would be protected, including oversight by the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security. 'ASIO has used these powers judiciously in circumstances where Asio's other powers were not appropriate for the circumstances.' In his annual threat assessment speech in February, Asio director-general Mike Burgess said he expected sabotage to pose an increasing threat to Australia in the next five years, even on defence assets like submarines secured under the Aukus agreement. Burgess said definitions and responses to serious threats were changing, even suggesting it was conceivable Russia could target Australia for sabotage in the future. 'An attempt to physically damage a nuclear-powered submarine could simultaneously be an act of sabotage, an act of politically motivated violence, an act of foreign interference and an attack on a defence system,' he said. Australian human rights commissioner Lorraine Finlay has previously warned against moves to extend the compulsory questioning laws, noting the ongoing use of powers that were initially designed to be temporary. The commission told a parliamentary inquiry considering the laws that in many instances, the questioning powers 'limit human rights without reasonable justification under international human rights law.' It noted that when introducing the laws, the Howard-era attorney-general, Daryl Williams, described them as 'extraordinary' and said they were to be considered 'a measure of last resort'. The Law Council also objected to extending the powers, telling the inquiry their sparing use indicated other existing investigative powers were sufficient for Asio operatives, and the thresholds for issuing warrants should be raised. The changes could pass parliament with support of the Coalition later this year. The previous inquiry lapsed at the federal election, before handing down a report.

Australian government's huge move on Queen Elizabeth II
Australian government's huge move on Queen Elizabeth II

West Australian

time7 hours ago

  • Politics
  • West Australian

Australian government's huge move on Queen Elizabeth II

Parliament has returned with big changes to the way the government conducts its business, including a new change to how it references the royals. The way that the parliament goes about its work in the House of Representatives is governed by 'standing orders'. Now, those orders have been amended to remove all references to Queen Elizabeth II – even though it's been almost three years since the Queen's death. As the British monarch is Australia's head of state, they are mentioned alongside their representative, the Governor-General, in the standing orders. Labor minister and leader of the House Tony Burke moved an amendment to the standing orders on Wednesday morning that would replace mentions of Queen Elizabeth II with King Charles III. The Queen was referenced at least 15 times in the standing orders, but all of those mentions will now be taken over by her successor. Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022, aged 96. Liberal Party manager of opposition business Alex Hawke accepted the change but said he was 'reluctant' to do so. 'I will say upfront as a lifelong constitutional monarchist and a great supporter of our constitutional monarchy and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, we are still in my view in the official mourning period,' Mr Hawke said. 'We do accept, reluctantly, the changes to remove all references to the Queen from the standing orders and replace them with the sovereign.' He called it a 'reluctant but necessary change'. Other changes to standing orders include how long parliamentarians can be ejected from the house and how votes are recorded.

Australia's huge move on royals
Australia's huge move on royals

Perth Now

time7 hours ago

  • Politics
  • Perth Now

Australia's huge move on royals

Parliament has returned with big changes to the way the government conducts its business, including a new change to how it references the royals. The way that the parliament goes about its work in the House of Representatives is governed by 'standing orders'. Now, those orders have been amended to remove all references to Queen Elizabeth II – even though it's been almost three years since the Queen's death. As the British monarch is Australia's head of state, they are mentioned alongside their representative, the Governor-General, in the standing orders. Labor minister and leader of the House Tony Burke moved an amendment to the standing orders on Wednesday morning that would replace mentions of Queen Elizabeth II with King Charles III. The Queen was referenced at least 15 times in the standing orders, but all of those mentions will now be taken over by her successor. Tony Burke introduced the changes to parliament. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022, aged 96. Liberal Party manager of opposition business Alex Hawke accepted the change but said he was 'reluctant' to do so. 'I will say upfront as a lifelong constitutional monarchist and a great supporter of our constitutional monarchy and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, we are still in my view in the official mourning period,' Mr Hawke said. 'We do accept, reluctantly, the changes to remove all references to the Queen from the standing orders and replace them with the sovereign.' Alex Hawke said it was a 'reluctant but necessary change'. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia He called it a 'reluctant but necessary change'. Other changes to standing orders include how long parliamentarians can be ejected from the house and how votes are recorded.

Australian government's huge move on Queen Elizabeth II
Australian government's huge move on Queen Elizabeth II

News.com.au

time7 hours ago

  • Politics
  • News.com.au

Australian government's huge move on Queen Elizabeth II

Parliament has returned with big changes to the way the government conducts its business, including a new change to how it references the royals. The way that the parliament goes about its work in the House of Representatives is governed by 'standing orders'. Now, those orders have been amended to remove all references to Queen Elizabeth II – even though it's been almost three years since the Queen's death. As the British monarch is Australia's head of state, they are mentioned alongside their representative, the Governor-General, in the standing orders. Labor minister and leader of the House Tony Burke moved an amendment to the standing orders on Wednesday morning that would replace mentions of Queen Elizabeth II with King Charles III. The Queen was referenced at least 15 times in the standing orders, but all of those mentions will now be taken over by her successor. Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022, aged 96. Liberal Party manager of opposition business Alex Hawke accepted the change but said he was 'reluctant' to do so. 'I will say upfront as a lifelong constitutional monarchist and a great supporter of our constitutional monarchy and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, we are still in my view in the official mourning period,' Mr Hawke said. 'We do accept, reluctantly, the changes to remove all references to the Queen from the standing orders and replace them with the sovereign.' He called it a 'reluctant but necessary change'. Other changes to standing orders include how long parliamentarians can be ejected from the house and how votes are recorded.

The rise in international pressure over Gaza should be welcomed
The rise in international pressure over Gaza should be welcomed

The Age

timea day ago

  • Politics
  • The Age

The rise in international pressure over Gaza should be welcomed

On Tuesday, Australia joined with 27 countries including Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK to condemn Israel for the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians seeking aid. The countries also demanded an end to restrictions on food and medical supplies. A ceasefire was needed now. 'The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths. The Israeli government's aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity,' the nations said. Australia's Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke, went further. Many of Israel's actions were 'indefensible'. Burke said on ABC radio: 'We're all hoping that there'll be something that'll break this. We've seen too many images of children being killed, of horrific slaughter, of churches being bombed.' The statement also called for the release of Israeli hostages 'cruelly held captive by Hamas since 7 October 2023 [who] continue to suffer terribly'. Hamas must release the hostages and Israel must heed the international message and pull back its military actions. The statement followed the deaths of at least 79 people on Sunday near a UN food aid convoy at the Israel border. They were seeking flour. On Saturday, more than 30 died near two aid centres in southern Gaza. It is in Gaza that mothers, fathers and children are starving to death, that tens of thousands are in various stages of malnutrition leading to starvation, that people are dying from gunshots and missile fire while trying to reach humanitarian aid. It is there that tens of thousands have died following the indiscriminate massacre of 1200 Israelis across the border. A ceasefire, of course, is not the end of a war. It is impossible to know what Israel's endgame is. Will the war be over when Israel has built a 'humanitarian city' – critics call it a 'concentration camp', including former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert – for Palestinians, initially 600,000 on the ruins of Rafah, then expanding to take in 2.2 million? The 28 nations hit out against the Israeli proposal. 'Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law,' the joint statement said. In the past few days, the military has pushed into the southern and eastern districts of the Gazan city of Deir al-Balah, which had been removed from the conflict. Thousands of Palestinians had sought refuge there.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store