Arch Bevis (Brisbane, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Attorney-General. Will the Attorney update the House on the significance of today for the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and also on the important role which ASIO plays in safeguarding Australia’s national security interests?

Robert McClelland (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for Brisbane for his question, and I acknowledge his work on the Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security and that of other members as well. The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation today marks its 60th anniversary as Australia’s national intelligence agency. The 21st century security environment is extremely complex and the work of ASIO has never been more important. Since its creation in 1949 by the Chifley government, ASIO’s brief has changed markedly, traversing the entire Cold War period and dealing with the rise of transnational terrorism, the emergence of the threat of home-grown terrorism and more recent developments in espionage, including in modern technology and the threat of cyberespionage to government and also to industry.

Recent attacks in South Asia—one, of course, this month on the Sri Lankan cricket team—highlight the strategic character of the international campaign waged by violent extremists. Their targets of choice are innocent women and children and civilians. The arrest and conviction in Australia of would-be terrorists shows we are not isolated from those who would seek to perpetrate their horrendous acts of violence in this country, attacks that would obviously cause death and destruction but would also be enormously damaging to our tolerant multicultural society. The men and women of ASIO are working hard with other national security agencies to protect Australians and Australian interests. ASIO in fact has been at the forefront of efforts to ensure our national security agencies work as effectively as they possibly can and, in particular, work seamlessly together.

Today I was honoured to mark the 60th anniversary of ASIO by planting a tree at the sight of their future headquarters. The 60th anniversary marks the time to acknowledge and pay respect to the service of the men and women of ASIO over the past 60 years and also to commit to the future. Today ASIO is an organisation of some 1,650 officers and this will build to around 1,800 officers by the year 2011—a very substantial organisation, indeed—operating from that time from the state-of-the-art premises.

Obviously, much of the quiet work undertaken by ASIO is, of necessity, never recognised in the public domain. While the men and women of ASIO will be acknowledging and celebrating the past, I know the men and women of ASIO will continue to discharge their vital role in protecting the interests of Australians and Australia both at home and abroad. I know all members of the House will join with me today in congratulating the men and women of ASIO on their 60th anniversary.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.