A parliamentary inquiry on laws restricting entry to high-risk terrorism zones will hear evidence from the Law Council of Australia, the Australian Human Rights Commission and other expert government witnesses today.

Media release issue date: Tuesday, 22 September 2020

A parliamentary inquiry on laws restricting entry to high-risk terrorism zones will hear evidence from the Law Council of Australia, the Australian Human Rights Commission and other expert government witnesses today. The hearing forms part of an Intelligence and Security Committee statutory review into sections119.2 and 119.3 of the Criminal Code which makes it an offence to enter or remain in an area declared by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. These provisions are due to expire on 7 September 2021. Committee Chair Andrew Hastie says while there are no areas currently declared, for periods between 2015 and 2017, the al Raqqa province of Syria and the Mosul district of Iraq were both declared due to the prevalence of Islamic State fighters in those regions. ‘Despite travel restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 response, terrorism remains a considerable threat to Australia, and considering these laws remains an important task for the Committee,’ Mr Hastie said. The declared areas provisions have been used both to deter Australians from travelling to foreign conflict zones, as well as to prosecute foreign fighters returning home to Australia. ‘It is important to continue to review Australia’s national security and counter-terrorism powers to ensure that we are effectively managing the ongoing security threat posed by returning foreign fighters,’ Mr Hastie said. To view a full program for the public hearing, details about the inquiry and public submissions received to date, you can visit the inquiry website. Public hearing details Date: Tuesday, 22 September 2020 Time: 11.00 am to 4.15 pm AEST Location: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra and via teleconference The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live. Media inquiries Chair, Mr Andrew Hastie MP (Canning, WA) (08) 9534 8044 (Electorate office) (02) 6277 4223 (Parliament House) For background information Committee Secretariat (02) 6277 2360 pjcis@aph.gov.au

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has commenced a statutory review into the ‘declared area’ provisions, listed in sections 119.2 and 119.3 of the Criminal Code Act 1995.

Media release issue date: Thursday, 18 June 2020

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has commenced a statutory review into the ‘declared area’ provisions, listed in sections 119.2 and 119.3 of the Criminal Code Act 1995. The provisions were introduced as part of the Foreign Fighters Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendments in 2014, and make it an offence for a person to enter, or remain in, declared areas of a foreign country, historically on the basis of regional terrorism activity. Under a sunset clause, the provisions are due to expire on 7 September 2021. The Committee will review and make recommendations on whether they should be extended. The Committee requests submissions to the inquiry by Friday 28 August 2020. Prospective submitters are advised that any submission to the Committee’s inquiry must be prepared solely for the inquiry and should not be published prior to being accepted by the Committee. Further information about making a submission to a committee inquiry can be found at the following link. Further information on the inquiry can be obtained from the Committee’s website. Media inquiries: Chair, Mr Andrew Hastie MP (Canning, WA) 08 9534 8044 (Electorate office) 02 6277 4223 (Parliament House) For background information: Committee Secretariat 02 6277 2360 pjcis@aph.gov.au