Julian McGauran (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator Ellison. Will the minister inform the Senate of recent measures taken to improve the security of Australian airports?

Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator McGauran for what is a very important question and of concern to all Australians, that is, the safety and security of our aviation industry in this country. Airports are a very important part of that. In September last year we delivered our response to the Wheeler report, which is a comprehensive study of aviation security in this country. I am pleased to say that today, as part of our response to that report, we are announcing that 30 police officers have been seconded to the AFP from Victoria to perform the uniformed policing role at Melbourne airport. Another 25 are expected in December this year and that will bring the total to 55. We already have at the airports of Adelaide, Hobart and Canberra police seconded to the Australian Federal Police who have been carrying out a community policing role. Further to the response we announced in September last year, we also have our new joint airport investigation teams up and running. We are implementing our intelligence teams and we also have airport commanders in place across the 11 designated airports. The Wheeler report stated, as a starting point in its recommendation, that we should have a single line of command at our airports in relation to security, so we put in place 11 airport commanders at all the designated airports.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What about Devonport?

Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

For the benefit of Senator Ludwig, all are in place and they have been operating very well. We have always said that it is an issue which is dealt with successfully only by a partnership between the private sector and government. In this regard, we have state, territory and federal governments involved, along with the private sector, being those involved in the airlines and the ownership of airports. With that single line of command, we have our police aviation liaison officers in place to ensure the smooth intersection between the private sector on the one hand and government on the other.

The commencement of the Victorian police seconded to the AFP today is a big step forward in the unified policing model. This announcement, which we made in response to the Wheeler report, involves in excess of $900 million across the board in relation to aviation security. Indeed, over the last five years, the Howard government has spent $1.1 billion on aviation security. It is essential that Australia have a reputation for safe and secure skies. That is something which will not only increase tourism in this country but also reassure the travelling public in relation to today’s environment of security threats—we saw them recently in the United Kingdom, especially at Heathrow Airport.

These recent announcements and implementations build on the great record that we have established in relation to aviation security. We have put in place air security officers. Recently, for the first time in Australia, the international conference was held here in recognition internationally of the great air security officer program that we have in place. We now have air security officers flying domestically and internationally. We have in place a range of measures across regional airports and major airports. All of this spells good news for the travelling public and increases air security in this country.