The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (the Committee) has commenced a review of the Crimes and Other Legislation Amendment (Omnibus No. 1) Bill 2024.

The Bill amends and clarifies the intended operation of provisions in various crime-related statutes, including by:

• expressly authorising police, when executing search warrants issued under the Crimes Act 1914 or Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, to seize digital assets, such as cryptocurrency, including by accessing a person’s digital wallet and transferring its contents.
• amending the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to extend the investigative and freezing powers that currently apply to financial institutions to also apply in relation to digital currency exchanges.
• increasing the value of the Commonwealth ‘penalty unit’ from $313 to $330.
• creating a position of Communications Security Coordinator in the Department of Home Affairs, with responsibility for certain telecommunications security functions currently assigned to the Communications Access Coordinator in the Attorney-General’s Department.
• amending information-sharing provisions in the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 to enhance the ability of state-based oversight bodies for integrity agencies to receive interception information and interception warrant information from agencies within their jurisdictions.

The Committee invites written submissions to the inquiry by 9 May 2024. Further information about making a submission to a parliamentary committee is available here.