Australian Anti-terrorism Legislation, 2004 - Anti-terrorism Bill (No 2), 2004

Ruddock introduced the Anti-terrorism bill (No 2), 2004 on 17 June. This bill amended a number of pieces of legislation to bring them into conformity with the Anti-Terrorism Act described above.

• The bill amended the Criminal Code under the Crimes Act to make it an offence to "intentionally associate with a person who is a member or who promotes or directs the activities of a listed terrorist organisation where that association provides support that would help the terrorist organisation to continue to exist or to expand." Current list of terrorist organisations.

"Under the new offence," Ruddock said, "what must be proved is that the person communicates or meets directors, members or promoters of a listed terrorist organisation and in doing so provides support intended to assist the expansion or continued existence of the organisation."

• The bill amended the forensic procedure laws in part 1D of the Crimes Act to ensure that if a terrorist attack or other mass-casualty disaster were to occur within Australia forensic services from all jurisdictions in Australia would be able to work together, using the national DNA database system, to identify the victims of the disaster and conduct a criminal investigation.
• The bill amended the Passports Act to give Australian authorities such as the Australian Federal Police or the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) the power to request an order for the surrender of a person's foreign passport.
• The bill amended the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act to give ASIO the power to demand a person surrender their Australian and foreign passports if the person is subject to a request for consent to apply for a questioning warrant.
• The bill also amends the Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 to make decisions of the Attorney-General on security grounds exempt from the application of the act.