George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Well, Senator O'Sullivan, it will strengthen Australia's national security by enabling regional governments to work more closely together, to share more intelligence, to share more operational experience, to on occasion exchange operational personnel to deal with this problem.

I should say that at the inaugural ministerial council on law and security we resolved to constitute that body on a permanent basis, and the second meeting of the ministerial council will take place in Sydney towards the middle of this year. I should also report to you, Senator, that Minister Keenan has also recently travelled to Thailand, to Malaysia and to the Philippines for the same purpose: in order to deepen and strengthen our regional cooperation with the policing and intelligence authorities of those nations. This is a global problem, Senator O'Sullivan, but it is also a regional problem. (Time expired)