Trent Zimmerman (North Sydney, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Justice and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Counter-Terrorism. Will the Minister update the House on the recent disruption of the Sydney terrorist plot? What action is the government taking to protect Australians from terrorism?

Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for North Sydney for the question. Last week, our authorities disrupted what was perhaps the most sophisticated and advanced terrorism plot we have ever had the misfortune to see on our soil. Australians were the target of an ISIL-directed plot to kill Australians with improvised devices. Throughout this operation, six search warrants were executed in Sydney. As a result, four people were taken into custody under powers within the Crimes Act that allow police to thoroughly investigate these crimes. As the Prime Minister noted, subsequent to that, two people have been charged with terrorism offences. These offences attract a maximum penalty of life behind bars.

This operation is a stark reminder that the threat from terrorism remains very real. Our agencies must deal with the full spectrum of threats from low-capability single-actor attacks to sophisticated and advanced plots. I commend the work of the Australian Federal Police and ASIO, working in conjunction with NSW police and other law enforcement and intelligence partners, in disrupting this plot. If not for the tireless work of our agencies, the outcome of this could have been very different, and it would have been catastrophic. We should make no mistake that our agencies have stopped an atrocity from occurring.

The coalition government has worked with these agencies to give them what they need to address the deteriorating national security environment including an investment of $1½ billion extra to support their efforts. We have also passed eight tranches of legislation through the parliament which give them unprecedented powers, many of which were used during this operation. We continue to make sure that we have the right settings in Australia. This operation reminds us that we are protected by amongst the best law enforcement and security agencies in the world.

It is not just in the field of counterterrorism that these agencies are striving to keep us safe and secure. I am very pleased to confirm to the House that today in Sydney the Australian Federal Police have undertaken significant operational activity including the execution of 15 separate search warrants. Some of these relate to ongoing AFP investigations and some relate to joint agency investigations. Fifteen arrests have been made, with the seizure of more than 1.9 million tonnes of drugs destined for Australian streets with a street value of over $800 million. This smashes a major international drug and organised crime syndicate and sends a clear message that we will not tolerate those trying to exploit our laws for their own gain. I am particularly pleased that the AFP have smashed a syndicate, a syndicate where the members have been very well known to law enforcement for a very long period of time and have had very high profiles, including thwarting their ill-gotten wealth. We have shown today that nobody—nobody—is above the law. I again congratulate the AFP and their partners for all that they have done to keep us safe over the past fortnight.