Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

Those opposite here actually understand that this is important. Working to the National Counter Foreign Interference Coordinator, the task force will be led by a senior ASIO officer and will include experts from across Australia's national intelligence community, including the AFP, AUSTRAC, the Australian Signals Directorate, the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation and the Office of National Intelligence, who will also support the task force. This task force will boost the ability of our intelligence and law enforcement agencies to discover, track and disrupt foreign interference in Australia. It will deepen our understanding of what we know are sophisticated disinformation activities happening across the world, particularly against democratic processes and also elections.

This new Counter Foreign Interference Taskforce highlights the Morrison government's commitment to stepping up our nation's security. It also demonstrates our commitment to take stronger action to deter acts of foreign interference, to defend against them when they occur and to ensure that our laws are upheld.