Labor, Coalition Back Expansion of ASIO Questioning Powers
A bill to expand the intelligence agency’s capabilities by making its compulsory questioning powers permanent has passed its second reading in Parliament.
TL;DR
- A bill to expand ASIO's questioning powers has passed its second reading in Parliament.
- The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025 seeks to make compulsory questioning powers permanent and broaden their scope.
- These expanded powers would cover issues such as sabotage, promoting communal violence, and territorial/border integrity threats.
- Labor and the Coalition supported the bill, while One Nation, the Greens, and Senator David Pocock opposed it.
- Opposition concerns focus on potential threats to personal freedoms.