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

I thank Senator Payne for what is a very important question. I certainly acknowledge Senator Payne’s longstanding interest in matters relating to the Australian Federal Police having regard to her position as chair of the Senate Legal and Constitutional Legislation Committee. This is a very important question. On 25 August this year the Howard government announced funding of just under half a billion dollars for the Australian Federal Police. This has been the biggest funding boost for the Australian Federal Police since its inception in 1979. This funding will mean that the international deployment group will receive a boost of over 400 personnel in the very important work that it is doing overseas.

In February 2004 we announced that there would be an international deployment group for the Australian Federal Police to cover the very good work that it does overseas. Of course, we have a longstanding tradition of assisting the United Nations in police peacekeeping—you have to look no further than Cyprus to see in excess of 40 years very good service in relation to international peacekeeping. But our IDG, as we call it, has been doing great work in the Solomons, in East Timor and in the region, in areas such as Vanuatu and Nauru. It is important that we put in place a plan for the future so that we can then deploy the Australian Federal Police where it is needed. The Howard government is totally committed to security in our region.