Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Hansard source

I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move:

That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the Migration Amendment (Border Integrity) Bill 2006, allowing it to be considered during this period of sittings.

I also table a statement of reasons justifying the need for this bill to be considered during these sittings and seek leave to have the statement incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The statement read as follows—

Purpose of the Bill

The bill amends the Migration Act 1958 to strengthen the integrity of Australia’s borders by improving measures to combat fraud and expediting passenger processing.

Reasons for Urgency

It is important that these amendments are made as a matter of urgency.

In October 2006 a joint media release issued by the then Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs and the Minister for Justice and Customs announced the introduction of the bill to strengthen arrangements at Australia’s borders and to prepare the way for enhanced security processing using biometric identifiers.

The Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs said that the amendments will allow for the introduction of an automated border process known as SmartGate that will begin operating in selected Australian international airports from early 2007.  The media release also announced that SmartGate will be rolled out from early 2007 and will allow passengers with certain biometric e Passports to be processed using a specially designed kiosk.

In addition to allowing self-processing of large volumes of travellers at the border via SmartGate, the bill will also enable New Zealand citizens who hold an e-passport to apply for and be granted a special category visa using the automated system without the need for a clearance officer to be present.  These initiatives will free Customs and Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) resources at international airports to deal with high-risk groups of arrivals.  The initiatives will also lead to savings for both agencies and will strengthen inwards border security measures by enabling the use of biometric identification technologies.  These technologies will not be able to be extended to enhance Australia’s border security measures until the legislation proceeds.  Customs and DIAC will also be unable to deliver what is a key government strategy designed to facilitate passenger processing via SmartGate to the proposed target audience.