The proposal was part of a broader counter-terrorism legislative package that included new offences for possessing terrorist instructional material and making terrorism hoaxes [1].
The 14-day detention period was framed as "pre-charge detention" - meaning suspects could be interrogated/detained without formal charges being laid [1].
Prime Minister Turnbull, Attorney-General George Brandis, and Justice Minister Michael Keenan developed the proposal to standardize detention periods across states, as different states had vastly different pre-charge detention limits (NSW had 7 days maximum, South Australia had only 8 hours) [1].
The term "imprison" in the claim is misleading—the proposal was about extending the period suspects could be held for questioning before being formally charged with an offense, not imprisoning convicted persons [1].
Not imprisonment but investigative detention:** The 14-day period was framed as time to interrogate and investigate suspects, not sentence them to prison [1].
Legal safeguards were promised:** The government stated it was devising "additional legal safeguards" to "ensure natural justice to suspects" [1], indicating the intention was not arbitrary detention.
**3.
**Did Labor introduce detention without charge laws?**
Australia has had extended pre-charge detention powers for terrorism suspects since the **Labor government introduced counter-terrorism legislation in 2005-2006** following the September 11 attacks [4].
The specific problem the Coalition was addressing in 2017 was **national inconsistency** in state-based pre-charge detention periods—a problem that predated the Coalition government [1].
While Labor did introduce broader counter-terrorism powers post-2001, there is no evidence Labor had proposed a 14-day federal pre-charge detention regime [4].
**The full story includes:**
**Government perspective:** The Coalition framed the 14-day detention proposal as a necessary counter-terrorism measure, particularly following foiled terrorist plots in Australia [1].
Prime Minister Turnbull stated: "It's vital that we have nationally consistent terrorism laws" and noted the problem where "those who seek to do us harm can be held to account no matter where they are" [1].
The government's concern was genuine—states had wildly inconsistent detention periods (8 hours in SA vs 7 days in NSW), which created enforcement problems [1].
**Civil liberties perspective:** Law professor George Williams emphasized the need for the government to justify why existing laws were insufficient [1].
The broader concern is that detention without charge, even for terrorism investigations, can be subject to abuse and violates principles of natural justice.
**Comparative context:** Most Western democracies have some pre-charge detention powers for terrorism suspects, though the duration varies.
Australia's existing counter-terrorism framework (inherited and built upon from Labor governments) already provided detention without immediate charges [4].
The Coalition's proposal was to extend and standardize this, not introduce it entirely.
**Verdict accuracy:** The claim is technically accurate that the Coalition proposed this law, but the framing as "imprison people" is misleading terminology.
However, the claim uses the word "imprison" which implies conviction and sentencing, when the proposal was actually for extended **pre-charge detention** during investigation [1].
Additionally, the claim fails to note that: (1) such detention powers were not new to Australia but inherited from Labor's counter-terrorism framework [4], (2) the Coalition was addressing genuine national inconsistency in state powers [1], and (3) there is no evidence the 14-day federal pre-charge detention law was actually passed [3].
However, the claim uses the word "imprison" which implies conviction and sentencing, when the proposal was actually for extended **pre-charge detention** during investigation [1].
Additionally, the claim fails to note that: (1) such detention powers were not new to Australia but inherited from Labor's counter-terrorism framework [4], (2) the Coalition was addressing genuine national inconsistency in state powers [1], and (3) there is no evidence the 14-day federal pre-charge detention law was actually passed [3].