Parliament has passed legislation making ASIO’s compulsory questioning powers permanent and expanding the circumstances in which the intelligence agency can question adults under warrant.
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025, introduced by the Albanese Government, passed both houses of Parliament.
The legislation amends the ASIO Act 1979 to make the existing compulsory questioning framework permanent and broaden the scope of adult questioning warrants.
It also changes the rules governing prescribed authorities, strengthens reporting requirements to ensure the Attorney-General is informed of relevant matters arising from questioning, and requires post-charge questioning to take place before a prescribed authority who is a retired judge.
The legislation also provides for a further review of the compulsory questioning framework by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security.
The bill has drawn criticism from One Nation and sections of the Coalition, who argued the expanded powers risk giving the state excessive authority without sufficiently identifying the ideological threats driving terrorism.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson said her party voted against the bill, arguing it failed to specifically address what she described as “radical Islamic” ideology.
“This bill is not serious about terrorism unless it names the ideology driving the threat: radical Islam.”
She said One Nation had proposed amendments that would have explicitly addressed radical Islamic ideology and removed what she described as vague provisions governing questioning powers.
“As these amendments were defeated there was no way we could support the large expansion of powers proposed by the Labor Government.”
One Nation leader Malcolm Roberts has condemned the passage of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025, accusing the major parties of expanding government powers over Australians.
Roberts said One Nation opposed the bill and had sought amendments to specifically name radical Islam and remove the broader term “communal violence” from the legislation. Both amendments were rejected by the Senate.
“Disgusting!” Roberts said following the bill’s passage.
He thanked Australians who contacted One Nation urging senators to vote against the legislation, arguing that the bill gives what he called the “Uniparty Liberal-Labor government” greater control over law-abiding Australians.
Roberts also criticised what he described as Australia’s existing “excessive deprivation of liberty” and drew a comparison with the COVID-19 pandemic, when federal and state governments imposed extensive restrictions on Australians.
Liberal Senator Alex Antic also opposed the legislation, warning against allowing extraordinary security powers to become routine.
“The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill makes ASIO’s compulsory questioning powers broader and expands them with vague new grounds,” Antic said.
“I voted AGAINST the Bill. Extraordinary powers should never become ordinary.”
The legislation means ASIO’s compulsory questioning regime will continue as a permanent feature of Australia’s national security framework, subject to the additional safeguards, reporting requirements and parliamentary review contained in the bill.
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