Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Justice, Customs and Border Protection) Share this | Hansard source

This question will also be to the Minister for Home Affairs. It is in relation to cargo screening. In relation to the budget cuts, from previous budgets, of $58.1 million and the fact that air cargo is going to increase by almost 45 per cent over the forward estimates in this budget, I am wondering if the minister can inform the House what percentage of air and sea cargo is screened and what percentage is physically examined. Has the reduction in air cargo screening resulted in more illegal contraband being smuggled undetected through customs? Referring to the Attorney's media statement this morning on tobacco smuggling, will the minister be able to outline whether this measure will come with additional funding for Customs to screen cargo so they can stop illegal tobacco being smuggled through our borders?

Given that on 14 March a report from the New South Wales Police on the investigation into weapons smuggling undertaken by a criminal syndicate through the Sylvania Waters Post Office highlighted that 220 Glock pistols had been illegally imported into our country by the air mail undetected by Customs, can the minister explain how and why weapons components were able to be imported into Australia in this case and evade the detection of Customs? Can the minister also confirm whether the $4½ million in funding that the government has committed to Task Force Polaris is additional funding, or are the agencies involved expected to find this money in their existing budgets? If that is additional funding, could he point out where in the budget that funding is to be found?

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