Michael Danby (Melbourne Ports, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to object to the proposal that access to Parliament House should operate under a discretionary security system. Decisions regarding security at the entry ways of Parliament House should not be left to the attendants, however competent, nor should we assume that MPs' family members, staff of parliamentarians or departmental employees and their luggage do not pose potential security risks. It is unfair that these entry way decisions that affect everyone's security be made by Parliament House attendants, who are being forced to do this by instructions based on narrow budgetary considerations.

For reasons of both security and equality, every person entering Parliament House should be screened, including members of parliament. Every person and material they bring in must be cleared in an appropriate and secure manner, including being subjected to metal detectors, X-rays and other appropriate security protocols. Without these the number of people who are currently exempted from security screenings will continue to be free to bring in weapons and materials that could be used to create weapons, as was demonstrated by Senator Heffernan. It is irresponsible to leave the house unprotected and vulnerable.

I am not calling for privileged or upgraded security for this building, just that the existing pattern of security remain. We should all—whether we are MPs, senators, family members, journalists or in the remaining categories of staff, even security attendees—go through the same security check. This decision is disconnected from events in the world and I believe jeopardises all of our security in this building.