Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Hansard source

My first words are words of thanks to the department for the way in which they have been able to compile the figures that we see in this year's budget. Obviously, there are a lot of difficulties in trying to manage particularly the case load within this budget and trying to put all of that work together is no easy feat. I pay tribute to the CFO and his team, to the secretary, and to the senior leadership within the Department of Immigration and Border Protection. I want to also pay tribute to people within my own office who have worked diligently through this budget process.

The government was elected, only less than two years ago, on a very clear mandate: to make sure that we address the concerns that the Australian public rightly expressed in relation to the loss of control of our borders. And for Australia, an island nation, the fact that we had lost control of those borders was of great concern to all Australians. For a long period of time, Australians from all walks of life, have expected their federal government to be in a strong position in relation to border management and to conduct a program in an orderly fashion. As we have said before, publicly, the fact that 50,000 people came on over 800 boats signalled very clearly to the Australian public that the Labor Party had lost control of our borders.

The challenge now for the government, of course, is to not only clean up that mess and to address it in an effective way but also provide a humanitarian dividend. I am very proud of the fact that in this budget we have been able to further detail the increases in the refugee and humanitarian programs, to provide extra support at the same time as we are closing down detention centres to people across the network so that we can provide a humane environment. We have, quite literally, been able to provide a financial dividend in this budget as well.

I am pleased we have been able to give money back so that the government can address other priorities, for which we were elected, including support in this budget for small business, child care, pensioners and others. It is incredibly important that we have been able to do that because the feat that we faced when we came into government was an $11 billion blow-out in relation to these border protection matters—and that was, of course, unacceptable.

We have a number of measures in this bill. Not only have we been able to provide that $500 million dividend but we have also been able to put extra support into biometrics. One of the most important priorities for this government over the coming years will be to ensure and enhance integrity within our visa programs. It is very important for us to be able to deal with trusted traders. It is very important for us to be able to deal with people who would pose a threat, both at our borders here if they arrive at our country and also further afield where we have been able to deploy people at certain airports.

These are very important measures contained within this budget. As I have said publicly before, we have been able to close down some 13 of the 17 detention centres. That has resulted in a direct dividend allowing us to fund, for example, Counter-Terrorism Unit officers at our airports. We now have 80 staff across those airports. Why is that important? As all Australians now understand, the threat from terrorism to our country is as high as it has ever been in our country's history. The fact that we have 400 high-priority cases under investigation by ASIO right now, the fact that we have 110 or more fighters from Australia in the Middle East and the fact that we have 150 people or so who on our shore are preparing or supporting those who would seek to do us harm underscores the fact that we really do need to provide additional support through this budget.

We have been able to do that because of the success we have had with Operation Sovereign Borders. I want to commend all of the staff particularly in Operation Sovereign Borders but across the department for the sterling work that they have been able to do over the course of the last 18 months or so. This budget provides us with the foundation to support the change management that is taking place within the department and the additional training that is required to support our staff as we move to not only enhance the integrity of our visa system but make sure we have the appropriate measures at our borders.

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