24 November 2025, Melbourne, Australia

The ARC DECRA Project on Regulating Predictive technologies for Preventive Counterterrorism (DE230101646) is holding an international, cross-industry, event addressing the Legal Governance of Digital Surveillance Tools in the Counter-Terrorism Era with the Centre for Law as Protection.

The event includes a keynote address by Dr David Scharia, the Director and Chief of Staff of the United Nations Security Council Counter-terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED), on “The UN Security Council and the Governance of Emerging Technologies in Counter-Terrorism.”

We are also privileged to feature a high-level roundtable discussion on emerging issues in the governance of digital surveillance powers with top experts, including Steve McGlynn, Chief Counsel of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), and Prof Ben Saul, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism.

Two research panels will further present works examining the legal architecture of surveillance powers in Australia and the development of international surveillance law.

The event is hosted by the Centre for Law as Protection at Deakin University and funded by the Australian Research Council and Deakin University. This is an in-person event at Deakin Downtown in Melbourne, Australia (for online access via zoom please email law-as-protection@deakin.edu.au).

When: 24 November 2025, 9:30-17:00.

Where: Deakin Downtown, Tower 2 level 12, 727 Collins St, Melbourne, Australia.

To register for this event please email us at law-as-protection@deakin.edu.au

 

Conference Program: 

9:00 – 9:30  Registration
9:30 – 10:00  Welcome and Opening Remarks

·    Prof Shiri Krebs, Director of the Deakin Centre for Law as Protection

·    Prof Jenni Lightowlers, Executive-Dean, Deakin Faculty of Business and Law

·    Prof Iain Martin, Vice-Chancellor, Deakin University

 
10:00 – 11:00 Keynote Address

Dr David Scharia, Director and Chief of Branch at CTED, United Nations Security Council

“The UN Security Council and the Governance of Emerging Technologies in Counter-Terrorism”

 

Moderator: Prof Shiri Krebs
11:00 – 11:20  

Morning Tea and Group Photo

 
 

11:20 – 12:50

  Cross-Industry High-Level Roundtable:

Governing Surveillance in the Counterterrorism Era

Speakers:

·    Dr David Scharia, Director and Chief of Branch at CTED, United Nations Security Council

·    Mr Steve McGlynn, Chief Council, Australian Signals Directorate

·    Prof Ben Saul, UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism

·    Prof Shiri Krebs, Director of the Centre for Law as Protection

Moderator: A/Prof Danielle Ireland-Piper, Australian National University
12:50 – 13:30  

Lunch Break

 
 

13:30 – 15:00

  Panel 1 – Legal Architecture of Surveillance Powers in Australia

·    Dr Dominique Dalla-Pozza, Australian National University: “Achieving Appropriate Electronic Surveillance Legislation Reform? Themes Emerging from Public Consultation Processes and Independent Intelligence Reviews?”

 

·    A/Prof Maria O’Sullivan, Deakin University:                                   “The Chilling Effect of Securitisation and Surveillance on the Right to Protest”

 

·    Dr Brendan Walker-Munro, Southern Cross University:

“Research Security Screening: Academic Due Diligence, or “Pre-Crime” Surveillance?”

 

·    Phillipa Stafford, Monique Mann, and Shiri Krebs (The ARC DECRA Project on Regulating Predictive technologies for Preventive Counterterrorism (DE230101646)): “Mapping Surveillance Law in Australia”

Moderator: A/Prof Maria O’Sullivan, Deakin University
15:00  – 15:20  

Afternoon Tea

 
 

15:20 –  16:30

  Panel 2 – International and Comparative Surveillance Law

·    Dr Marie-Eve Loiselle, Macquarie University:

“From Legal Identity to Digital Surveillance: Human Rights Risks in the Global Digital Identity Agenda”

 

·    Mr Amir Cahane, Hebrew University of Jerusalem:

“Putting SOCMINT in Context – How to regulate privacy in public”

 

·    Mr Shaun Andrews, Dr Jayson Lamcheck, Dr Renato Wolf, and Prof Shiri Krebs (The ARC DECRA Project on Regulating Predictive technologies for Preventive Counterterrorism (DE230101646)):

“The UN Security Council and the Development of International Surveillance Law”

 

·    Issiah Burckhardt-Bedeau, Deakin University:

“Redesigning Intelligence Grading for 21st Century Threats”

 

Moderator: A/Prof Danielle Ireland-Piper, Australian National University
16:30 – 16:40  

Closing Reflections and Future Opportunities

Prof Shiri Krebs

 
16:40 – 18:00  

Reception

 
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