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

Thank you very much indeed, Senator Wong, for a very timely and important question. Of course, I am sure I speak on behalf of all members of this chamber in expressing our horror and outrage at the terrorist attacks that have occurred since the Senate last met, and, in particular, our grief at the news that Australians have been among the victims both here, in Melbourne last week, and overseas. It is a reminder to us that this is not a problem that exists on the other side of the world; it is not a problem that is not our problem; it is a problem that reaches out, both in a familiar and hospitable city like London and in our own suburban streets, as in Brighton last week, to threaten and take the lives of Australians.

Senator Wong, I want to thank you and the Australian Labor Party for the spirit of cooperation that you have shown over the past several years in supporting the government in passing the eight tranches of legislation with which we have dealt which have been designed to make Australians safe. The point I would make to the Senate is this: in none of those cases have we been reactive. In none of those cases have we been in the position of, after a terrorism attack, saying, 'We have to rewrite our legislation.' We have anticipated the need so as to avoid it and, as a result, we have saved Australian lives through the work of this chamber and the work of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. We have achieved that together.