Morrison wedges Labor on stalled national security law reforms

Scott Morrison has demanded Labor support a trio of bills on the back of major anti-­organised crime raids.

Labor’s Home Affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

Scott Morrison has sought to make national security front and centre of the political debate as he demanded Labor support a trio of bills on the back of major anti-­organised crime raids.

The Prime Minister wants to pass three laws – some of which have languished in the parliament for three terms – that give police more access to the dark web and toughen security at airports and on the waterfronts.

Labor on Tuesday rejected Mr Morrison’s claims it was deliberately holding up the bills in parliament, and opposition home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally accused him of “flat-out lying”.

Mr Morrison in Sydney said the bills had to pass to keep criminals out of maritime ports and stop illegal activity online.

“This is critical to ensure criminals don’t get on to our wharves, that they can’t access security credentials and things of that nature.

“I don’t know why they’re being protective,” he said on Tuesday.

“When our laws, which we don’t have bipartisan support for changing, allow criminals to be able to get credentials and to be able to be on our ports, then that is something only the parliament can shut down and that’s what we need to change and it should be passed now.”

The first law Mr Morrison wants passed is an amendment to surveillance legislation that would give the Australian Federal Police new warrants to access the online accounts and computers of suspected criminals who operate in the recesses of the internet.

The second bill is a telecommunications amendment that would give the AFP more access to data stored overseas by criminals.

The third law would toughen security requirements for people working at Australian ports.

Senator Keneally rejected the claims on Tuesday, saying Labor supported one bill on cross-border data and was reviewing another on access to the dark web. “Mr Morrison flat out lied in his media conference about certain pieces of legislation that are currently before the intelligence and security committee. Mr Morrison sought to play politics,” she said.

Senator Keneally said the only bill Labor was opposed to was the Transport Security Bill, and she was willing to support it if the legislation explicitly ensured foreign nationals on maritime ports faced the same security requirements as Australian citizens.

“He wants to put tougher protections to ensure Australians who work in our ports and airports are law-abiding citizens. OK, fine,” she said. “You’ve done absolutely nothing to ensure that foreign crew who come through our ports and airports have to meet security requirements … He fixes that, this bill can pass the parliament.”

AFP commissioner Reece Kershaw joined Mr Morrison in demanding the three security bills pass through parliament as soon as possible, saying they were necessary to stop both drug traffickers and child abusers. “We’re really encouraging the parliament to pass that select bill in particular and the IPO bill, because we need to be a step ahead,” he said.