Inquiry into the AusCheck Amendment Bill 2009
Information about the Inquiry
On 14 May 2009, the Senate referred the AusCheck Amendment Bill 2009 to the Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs for inquiry and report.
The Bill amends the AusCheck Act 2007, which currently provides for background checking of applicants for Aviation and Maritime Security Identification Cards. The Bill would provide the capacity for AusCheck to conduct additional background checks, namely for numerous and broadly-defined ‘national security purposes’, when checks are authorised under some other legislative instrument.
The Bill would also provide broad regulation-making power to the Attorney-General, who would be authorised to table regulations for the establishment of background checking schemes for purposes relating to national security, defence, national emergency, terrorism, or any matter related to the executive power of the Commonwealth or matters incidental to the legislative powers of the Parliament.
The Bill would also provide for authorisation to collect biometric information about a person during the completion of a background check, and would amend provisions relating to an existing online identity verification system to reflect the broader scope of background checking enabled by the Bill.
The reporting date for this inquiry is 16 June 2009. The committee invites written submissions by 3 June 2009. Submissions should be sent to:
Committee Secretary
Senate Standing Committees on Legal and Constitutional Affairs
Department of the Senate
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia
For further information, contact:
Committee Secretary
Senate Standing Committees on Legal and Constitutional Affairs
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia
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