Advisory Report on the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Bill 2017

June 2018

© Commonwealth of Australia 2018
ISBN: 978-1-74366-847-4

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Abbreviations

Members

Terms of Reference

List of Recommendations

1. Introduction and threat environment

  The current environment
  Government response to the threat

2. Outline of the Bill and its referral

  The Bill and its referral
  Report structure
  Outline of the Bill (as introduced by the Prime Minister)
  United States’

3. Scope of actors and activities

  Introduction
  Definition of ‘foreign principal’
  Undertaking activity ‘on behalf of’ a foreign principal
  Purpose of the activity
  Registrable activities
  Former Cabinet Ministers, Ministers, members of Parliament and senior Commonwealth officials
  Committee comment

4. Exemptions

  Humanitarian activities
  Legal advice and representation
  Diplomatic, consular and similar activities
  Religion
  News and media
  Commercial or business pursuits
  Universities, academics and research activities
  Arts and cultural activities
  Application of exemptions to ‘arrangements’
  Committee comment

5. Parliamentary privilege

  Application of parliamentary privilege to registrable activities
  Committee comment

6. Registrants' obligations and operation of the Scheme

  Registration and responsibilities
  Secretary’s powers
  Committee comment

7. Enforcement

  Committee comment

8. Oversight and Review

  Oversight
  Review
  Committee comment

9. Attorney-General's proposed amendments

  Referral to the Committee
  Scope of actors and activities
  Parliamentary privilege
  Committee comment
  Registrants’ obligations and operation of the Scheme
  Implementation and commencement
  Committee comment

10. Committee comment and recommendations

  Scope of actors and activities
  Exemptions
  Members of parliament and parliamentary privilege
  Registrants’ obligations
  Operation of the Scheme
  Enforcement
  Oversight, review and implementation

A. Submissions

B. Witnesses appearing and public and private hearings

C. Comparative table: Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme and Foreign Agents Registration Act

Committee Secretariat contact:

Committee Secretary
Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security
PO Box 6021
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Phone: +61 2 6277 2360
pjcis@aph.gov.au