Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The Rudd government believes that the first responsibility of government is to protect the safety and the security of the Australian people. That is why this government has made national security reform a top priority. Today, the Rudd government released a further piece of its national security reform agenda: the counterterrorism white paper Securing Australia, protecting our community. As the Prime Minister stated earlier today, it is important not to become complacent about the threat terrorism poses to Australia’s national security, because the threat is not diminishing. In fact, the government’s security and intelligence agencies assess that terrorism has become a persistent and permanent feature of Australia’s security environment. They warn that an attack could occur at any time.

More than 100 Australians have been killed in terrorist attacks since 2001, including 88 in the 2002 Bali bombing. The international threat of terrorism is persistent and it is evolving. The white paper outlines two key shifts in the terrorist threat to Australia. There have been some counterterrorism successes, notably in South-East Asia and in exerting pressure on al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, but these have been offset by newer areas of concern such as Somalia and Yemen. Secondly, Australia now faces an increased terrorist threat from people born or raised in Australia who take inspiration from international jihadist narratives.

In Australia since 2001, 38 people have been prosecuted as a result of counterterrorism operations and 20 people have been convicted of terrorism offences under the Criminal Code. Over 40 Australians have had their passports revoked or denied for reasons related to terrorism, so the threat is real. As the Prime Minister stated, no government can guarantee that Australia will be free from the threat of terrorism, but we can guarantee we will take all necessary steps to combat the threat. (Time expired)