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

It may have escaped Senator Ludwig’s notice but we announced the biggest increase to the Australian Federal Police, since its inception in 1979, with just under half a billion dollars for an extra 421 Australian Federal Police. That is the most significant boost to the Australian Federal Police in its history. As to the popularity of the Australian Federal Police, I say again that the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, Mr Mick Keelty, said that the Federal Police have had no problems in recruiting people—indeed, in excess of 2,000 people have expressed an interest in joining the Australian Federal Police—and that, when the Australian Federal Police have sought personnel, they have had no trouble whatsoever in getting quality people to sign up.

What the government have said is that we will not embark upon any poaching of the state and territory police forces—the Prime Minister has said it, I have said it, and the police commissioner has said it. Of course, people are free to apply to join the Australian Federal Police, and I would say to those listening that you could certainly have a very rewarding career in an agency such as the Australian Federal Police. The government have announced the biggest boost to the Australian Federal Police since its inception, and funding to that agency has quadrupled under the Howard government—a stark contrast with what the previous government did.

We have increased the overall numbers of the Australian Federal Police; in fact, the latest total numbers of Australian Federal Police, both sworn and unsworn, are 5,600. It is worth while remembering that since 1996 these total AFP staff numbers, excluding the Australian Protective Service, have increased by around 50 per cent. When you include the Protective Service, which has joined with the AFP, that total number rises. I totally reject any allegation that the government has in some way not been supportive of the Australian Federal Police.