The Government has announced a suite of new anti-terrorism laws to target so-called foreign fighters as well as those engaging in terrorist activities in Australia.

The country's terrorist alert level was raised from medium to high on September 12, 2014, under recommendation from security agencies citing the number of Australians "fighting with and supporting" terrorist groups in the Middle East.

The new laws are being introduced in three stages and aim to bolster the powers of security agencies and make it easier to identify and prosecute Australians involved in terrorist activities.

Stage 1: The National Security Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2014

The first bill was introduced to parliament in July. The new laws passed parliament on September 25, 2014, and will:

allow one warrant to cover a whole computer network, allowing ASIO officers to disrupt the operation of targeted computers and use third party computers to access targeted computers

allow one warrant to cover a whole computer network, allowing ASIO officers to disrupt the operation of targeted computers and use third party computers to access targeted computers give ASIO officers criminal and civil immunity from prosecution under a newly defined covert "special intelligence operation" - but the Attorney-General says this will not permit torture

give ASIO officers criminal and civil immunity from prosecution under a newly defined covert "special intelligence operation" - but the Attorney-General says this will not permit torture enable Australia's overseas spy agency ASIS (Australian Secret Intelligence Service) to spy on Australians overseas and to cooperate with ASIO with less executive oversight

enable Australia's overseas spy agency ASIS (Australian Secret Intelligence Service) to spy on Australians overseas and to cooperate with ASIO with less executive oversight increase the penalty for disclosing information about a special intelligence operation to a maximum of five years imprisonment, and 10 years imprisonment if it can be proven the person intended to endanger someone or was "reckless" about whether disclosing the information would endanger someone (this provision has the potential to impact journalists)

increase the penalty for disclosing information about a special intelligence operation to a maximum of five years imprisonment, and 10 years imprisonment if it can be proven the person intended to endanger someone or was "reckless" about whether disclosing the information would endanger someone (this provision has the potential to impact journalists) open up ASIO tasks and powers to contractors and public servants seconded from other agencies and make it easier for ASIO employees to work in other parts of the public service

Stage 2: Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill

The second stage of the Government's plan passed parliament on October 29, 2014. It had been briefly reviewed by the Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security – its 37 recommendations were all adopted by the Government.

Another bill, the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment bill was also introduced to give ASIS the explicit power to share information with the Defence Force about terror suspects.

The new laws will:

make it easier to identify, to charge and to prosecute Australians who have been engaged in terrorist activities overseas

make it easier to identify, to charge and to prosecute Australians who have been engaged in terrorist activities overseas allow for a person's passport to be suspended for 14 days

allow for a person's passport to be suspended for 14 days make it an offence to travel to or remain in a "declared area" designated as being of "terrorist activity" without a valid reason (for example humanitarian or family purposes) - but the Attorney-General says this will not reverse the onus of proof

make it an offence to travel to or remain in a "declared area" designated as being of "terrorist activity" without a valid reason (for example humanitarian or family purposes) - but the Attorney-General says this will not reverse the onus of proof broaden the application of law from a "terrorism activity" to "terrorism"

broaden the application of law from a "terrorism activity" to "terrorism" make it an offence to "advocate terrorism", including on social media, carrying a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment

make it an offence to "advocate terrorism", including on social media, carrying a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment lower the threshold for authorities to be granted control orders and preventative detention orders

lower the threshold for authorities to be granted control orders and preventative detention orders allow welfare payments to be cut off for people assessed as a serious threat whose passports have been cancelled

allow welfare payments to be cut off for people assessed as a serious threat whose passports have been cancelled ensure a review of the Bill and related legislation is conducted by September 2017

Stage 3: Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Bill 2014

The Government introduced the third stage of its counter-terrorism plan to Parliament on October 30, 2014. It was then referred to Parliament's Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, which is expected to table its report on February 27, 2015.

The legislation will:

require telecommunications companies to retain customers' phone and computer metadata for two years

require telecommunications companies to retain customers' phone and computer metadata for two years keep information such as phone numbers, length of phone calls, email addresses and the time a message was sent

keep information such as phone numbers, length of phone calls, email addresses and the time a message was sent not keep the content of phone calls or emails and explicitly exclude internet browsing

not keep the content of phone calls or emails and explicitly exclude internet browsing give security agencies access to the data when they can make a case that it is "reasonably necessary" to an investigation

give security agencies access to the data when they can make a case that it is "reasonably necessary" to an investigation still require security agencies to obtain a warrant before accessing the actual content of messages or conversations

still require security agencies to obtain a warrant before accessing the actual content of messages or conversations seek to reduce the number of agencies able to access the data

seek to reduce the number of agencies able to access the data seek to limit access to stored communication such as text messages and emails

seek to limit access to stored communication such as text messages and emails introduce an independent oversight mechanism, allowing the Commonwealth ombudsman access to agency records, in a bid to boost privacy protections

The Government is negotiating with telcos about who will pay for the new system.