✦ Plain-English Summary

Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (High Risk Terrorist Offenders) 2020

What it does

This law creates "extended supervision orders" for people convicted of serious terrorism offences after they've finished serving their prison sentence. Instead of being released with no conditions, high-risk offenders can be kept under strict monitoring and restrictions in the community for a defined period. The bill updates multiple counter-terrorism and surveillance laws to make these orders legally workable.

Why it matters

It's designed to prevent people considered dangerous from committing further terrorist attacks once they leave prison. Rather than immediate release or indefinite detention, it allows authorities to manage their re-entry into society through court-ordered conditions like electronic monitoring, movement restrictions, and reporting requirements.

Key details

• Who it affects: People convicted of serious terrorism offences (the bill amends the Criminal Code's terrorism provisions)
• Commencement: The main changes took effect the day after the bill received Royal Assent in 2020
• Legal framework: The bill updates six existing laws (including the Crimes Act and Surveillance Devices Act) to allow courts to impose, monitor, and enforce these orders, and to allow authorities to use surveillance tools to check compliance

Official Description

Amends the: Criminal Code Act 1995 to provide for a State or Territory Supreme Court to make an extended supervision order (ESO) as an alternative to a continuing detention order, which may impose conditions on high risk terrorist offenders; National Security Information (Criminal and Civil Proceedings) Act 2004 to provide for the availability of court-only evidence in ESO proceedings; Crimes Act 1914 , Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 and Surveillance Devices Act 2004 to extend the application of the existing control order monitoring warrant provisions to the monitoring of ESOs; Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 and Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 to make consequential amendments; and Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 to make amendments contingent on the commencement of the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (International Production Orders) Act 2020 .

Committee Referrals

Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights; Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security; Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills

No formal division recorded

This bill passed by voice vote — parliament agreed without calling a formal count. A division is only recorded when a member explicitly requests one.

No votes yet.

No votes were recorded for this bill.