Summary

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The majority voted in favour of a motion to pass the bill in the Senate. In parliamentary jargon, they voted to read the bill for a third time. Because the bill has already passed in the House of Representatives, it can now become law.

What does this bill do?

According to the bills digest:

The purpose of the Bill is to amend the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 (the TIA Act) and make consequential amendments to other Acts to introduce a framework for Australian agencies to obtain an international production order (IPO) requiring a designated communications provider (DCP) overseas to:

  • intercept communications
  • provide access to stored communications or
  • provide access to telecommunications data.

Certain agencies will be able to apply for IPOs in relation to investigating serious offences, carrying out ASIO’s functions, and purposes relating to control orders.

IPOs will be authorised externally to the requesting agency. They will only be available in relation to providers in countries with which Australia has a bilateral or multilateral agreement on cross-border access to electronic information and communications data; that is, a designated international agreement.

The Bill will also amend the TIA Act and other Acts to ensure that Australian communications providers are not prevented from responding to incoming requests for access to electronic information and communications data from countries with which Australia has a designated international agreement.

The proposed IPO framework is intended to provide a faster alternative to the formal mutual legal assistance process for obtaining access to certain information and data held by overseas providers (and for overseas authorities to access information and data held by Australian providers).

Votes Passed by a modest majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Australian Greens (100% turnout) 0 Yes 9 No
Mehreen Faruqi NSW No
Sarah Hanson-Young SA No
Nick McKim Tasmania No
Janet Rice Victoria No
Rachel Siewert WA No
Jordon Steele-John WA No
Lidia Thorpe Victoria No
Larissa Waters Queensland No
Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania No
Australian Labor Party (24% turnout) 6 Yes 0 No
Alex Gallacher SA Yes
Katy Gallagher ACT Yes
Kimberley Kitching Victoria Yes
Malarndirri McCarthy NT Yes
Louise Pratt WA Yes
Murray Watt Queensland Yes
Tim Ayres NSW Absent
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania Absent
Carol Brown Tasmania Absent
Kim Carr Victoria Absent
Anthony Chisholm Queensland Absent
Raff Ciccone Victoria Absent
Patrick Dodson WA Absent
Don Farrell SA Absent
Nita Green Queensland Absent
Kristina Keneally NSW Absent
Jenny McAllister NSW Absent
Deborah O'Neill NSW Absent
Helen Polley Tasmania Absent
Tony Sheldon NSW Absent
Marielle Smith SA Absent
Glenn Sterle WA Absent
Anne Urquhart Tasmania Absent
Jess Walsh Victoria Absent
Penny Wong SA Absent
Stirling Griff SA Centre Alliance Absent
Sam McMahon NT Country Liberal Party Yes
Sue Lines WA Deputy President Absent
Rex Patrick SA Independent No
Jacqui Lambie Tasmania Jacqui Lambie Network No
Liberal National Party (100% turnout) 2 Yes 0 No
Matthew Canavan Queensland Yes
James McGrath Queensland Yes
Liberal Party (66% turnout) 19 Yes 0 No
Eric Abetz Tasmania Yes
Alex Antic SA Yes
Wendy Askew Tasmania Yes
Simon Birmingham SA Yes
Andrew Bragg NSW Yes
Slade Brockman WA Yes
Michaelia Cash WA Yes
Richard Colbeck Tasmania Yes
Jonathon Duniam Tasmania Yes
David Fawcett SA Yes
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW Yes
Jane Hume Victoria Yes
Andrew McLachlan SA Yes
Gerard Rennick Queensland Yes
Anne Ruston SA Yes
Paul Scarr Queensland Yes
Dean Smith WA Yes
Amanda Stoker Queensland Yes
David Van Victoria Yes
Claire Chandler Tasmania Absent
Sarah Henderson Victoria Absent
Hollie Hughes NSW Absent
Jim Molan NSW Absent
Matt O'Sullivan WA Absent
James Paterson Victoria Absent
Marise Payne NSW Absent
Linda Reynolds WA Absent
Zed Seselja ACT Absent
Ben Small WA Absent
National Party (100% turnout) 3 Yes 0 No
Perin Davey NSW Yes
Susan McDonald Queensland Yes
Bridget McKenzie Victoria Yes
Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party (100% turnout) 0 Yes 2 No
Pauline Hanson Queensland No
Malcolm Roberts Queensland No
Scott Ryan Victoria President Yes
Totals (59% turnout) 32 Yes – 13 No