Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Sunsetting Review and Other Measures) 2021

✦ Plain-English Summary

# Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Sunsetting Review and Other Measures) 2021

## What it does
This bill extends the sunset dates on several counter-terrorism powers that were set to expire. Rather than letting these laws lapse, it delays when they need to be reviewed by Parliament—essentially hitting pause on the automatic expiry dates while giving lawmakers more time to assess whether these powers are still necessary and working properly.

## Why it matters
Counter-terrorism laws give authorities significant powers (like detaining people without charge or monitoring suspects). This bill keeps those powers alive longer, which means more government oversight of people's movements and activities continues. At the same time, it requires independent reviews to check whether these powers are actually effective and not overreaching.

## Key details

- **Declared areas in foreign countries** (like conflict zones where terrorist groups operate): The deadline for reviewing whether rules about foreign travel and recruitment are working properly moves from September 2021 to January 2024.

- **Control orders** (restrictions placed on suspected terrorists, like curfews or surveillance): Extended from September 2021 to December 2022.

- **Preventative detention orders** (holding people without charge to prevent terrorism): Also gets extended, though specific new dates aren't detailed in this excerpt.

The bill becomes law the day after the Governor-General signs off on it.

Official Description

Amends the Criminal Code Act 1995 to extend the operation of the declared areas provisions for a further 3 years and the control order regime and the preventative detention orders (PDO) regime for a further 15 months; Intelligence Services Act 2001 to provide that the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security may review the operation, effectiveness and proportionality of the declared areas provisions prior to their sunset date; Crimes Act 1914 to extend the operation of the stop, search and seizure powers for a further 15 months; and Independent National Security Legislation Monitor Act 2010 to extend the reporting date for the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor’s review of continuing detention orders for high risk terrorist offenders to as soon as practicable after 7 December 2021.

Committee Referrals

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

Full bill PDF →APH page →

Audit History

Introduced

4 Aug 2021

Last updated on APH

10 Apr 2026

Outcome date

2 Sept 2021

Last checked by Crossbench

yesterday

Full text indexed

yesterday

🗳️

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.

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