Why is Australia offering visas to some Hongkongers? Who will be eligible? What are the politics of the move
, Dr Neal said the "answer to that is yes" but he had a "couple of words of caution".
"It doesn't go to the extent of saying anything that is detrimental to the interests of China falls within this framework. It's addressed to different things," he said. "However, we are very concerned that ... agents of ASIO would be entitled to detain compulsorily people for 40 hours to question them about things which are detrimental to the interests of Australia because they've been talking to someone who's classified as a foreign power.
"Keeping in mind that it's not someone who is actually going to do something which is detrimental to it, but simply someone who may have information about that who could be subject to this compulsory questioning and a five-year penalty if they don't co-operate with that process.
The director-general of security said Australians were being radicalised to extremist ideologies at a younger age, while the nation faced the possible return of battle-hardened fighters from Syria and Iraq and"We are seeing increasing numbers of young Australians involved in onshore terrorism; this is being observed in both Islamic extremism and extreme right-wing circles, and this includes children as young as 13 and 14," he said.
"This threat is amplified by the COVID crisis, with some young Australians being exposed to radicalisation as they've spent time online meeting and engaging with like-minded individuals.", saying the bill is in breach of Australia's international obligations.The most important news, analysis and insights delivered to your inbox at the start and end of each day. Sign up to
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