The Intelligence State: Where Are the Limits?

The Australian Government’s proposed ASIO legislation has now entered a critical stage, with twelve amendments currently before the Senate as debate intensifies around some of the most extraordinary powers available under Australian law.

Originally introduced after 9/11 as temporary counter-terrorism measures, ASIO’s compulsory questioning powers have gradually expanded over time, and are now being extended further through the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025.

While much public attention has focused on the Bill’s sunset clause, the broader debate reaches far beyond whether the powers technically expire.

The legislation raises deeper questions about:

• the continued expansion of national security powers,

• the balance between security and civil liberties,

• parliamentary oversight,

• and the long-term normalisation of extraordinary state powers in democratic societies.

Join host Michael Arbon and special guest Andrew Wilkie MP for an important discussion examining:

• what the Bill and Senate amendments actually do,

• how ASIO’s powers have evolved since 2003,

• why the legislation remains controversial,

• and what Australians should understand before the Senate vote.

Few parliamentarians are better placed to discuss these issues than Andrew Wilkie.

A former intelligence analyst and one of the longest-serving independent MPs in Federal Parliament, Wilkie has spent more than 15 years observing the repeated expansion and review of Australia’s national security framework. He was also one of the few Members of Parliament to vote against the current legislation in the House of Representatives.

What We’ll Cover

• What the ASIO Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025 actually changes
• The latest Senate amendments and what they mean
• How ASIO questioning powers have evolved since 2003
• Expansion beyond terrorism into broader national security matters
• Civil liberties, oversight and democratic accountability
• How the major parties and crossbench are positioning themselves
• What Australians should understand before the Senate vote

Date & Time

Thursday 18 June | 6:00pm AEST

Hosted by

Michael Arbon — policy analyst and commentator on governance, institutional accountability, and civil liberties

With specila guest

Andrew Wilkie MP — independent Federal MP, former intelligence officer, and longstanding advocate for accountability and parliamentary oversight in national security matters.

Before entering Parliament, Andrew served as an infantry officer with the Australian Army and was seconded to the Office of National Assessments (ONA), now known as the Office of National Intelligence, as a senior intelligence analyst. He later returned to ONA as a civilian after he left the army. Over the course of his parliamentary career, he has become one of Australia's most consistent voices on questions of government accountability, transparency, civil liberties and the exercise of executive power.

This is one of the most significant national security and civil liberties debates currently before the Australian Parliament.

Join us live to better understand the legislation, the amendments now before the Senate, and the broader implications for Australia’s democratic framework.

This debate is far from over.

Can’t join live? Register anyway and we’ll send you the recording afterward.