Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It was a situation today where, as usual, those on the opposition like to read certain newspapers to get the formation of their questions for question time in this place and the other place. It is irrelevant whether there is any truth or substance. They will still come in here and peddle the same nonsense that they did during the last term of government. They were rejected at the last election for that strategy, which is to divide Australia and cause anxiety and concern when it is unnecessary and without any substance. When you ask a question in this place and a minister gives you an answer, you may not get the answer that you want, because it may not fit in with your conspiracy theory. But a minister is bound to give you the information to the best of their knowledge, and that was repeatedly given by the ministers who responded to the opposition's questions.

We all know from the contribution that my good friend Senator O'Neill made previously in relation to Syria about the issues and concerns that we share along with many other countries. We know because our agencies, our intelligence and security agencies, monitor the situation, as agencies do globally. Their role is to keep us all safe. There is one job that they have, and that is to keep Australian citizens safe, and that's what they've been doing. I chair a committee that has oversight of the Australian Federal Police. I know the work that they do. I have confidence in every one of those agencies.

We showed some respect when Senator Smith made the surprising contribution that was just delivered. We sat in silence but we're not going to sit here and have people assert that we are ashamed of our ministers and of our intelligence agents that have given that advice to this government. We're not going to sit in silence, because what those opposite are doing is nothing less than what they were doing during the last term of government, and that is whipping up anxiety in the community, like the racist undertones from their former leader, Mr Dutton, in relation to his concerns about going out for dinner in Melbourne. We know how that worked out for the opposition.

We will always put the interests of Australian citizens first and foremost—every single time. All Australians have a right to feel safe and secure in their country, which is why the intelligence and security agencies constantly monitor any threat from any nation. We know, because we get reports on the sorts of activities that are going on, there's so much uncertainty globally. Quite rightly, that's why we're on alert. That's why the agencies are on alert. That's why people in this chamber and the other chamber have a responsibility to put Australians first, not to take political cheap shots, trying to make an issue where there is none. It is, frankly, very sad that elected members of the senior parliament in this country in the opposition would use such tactics when people are already afraid to watch the news. Young people have anxiety because of what's going on around the world. We need to instil confidence in our intelligence and security agencies and the AFP because they do their jobs each and every day to keep us safe. As we know with our local police forces lately, they put their lives on the line every single day. (Time expired)