Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is directed to Senator Ellison, Minister for Justice and Customs. Is the minister aware that the budgeted average staffing level of the Australian Federal Police this year is 95 personnel less than the average staffing level last year? Is it also true that the AFP were supposed to have increased the number of police by 326 last year but that they fell short of the target by 421 officers? Given this record of recruitment failure, on what basis did the minister assert on the Meet the Press program on 27 August that ‘the AFP had no trouble in recruiting’? In view of the minister’s track record of failure in police recruitment, what confidence should anyone have that he will come close to meeting the Prime Minister’s latest promise to expand the AFP? Was the minister unaware of the extent of his failure, or is he so incompetent that he signed off on incorrect figures in both this year’s and last year’s budgets?

Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It may have escaped Senator Ludwig’s notice but we announced the biggest increase to the Australian Federal Police, since its inception in 1979, with just under half a billion dollars for an extra 421 Australian Federal Police. That is the most significant boost to the Australian Federal Police in its history. As to the popularity of the Australian Federal Police, I say again that the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, Mr Mick Keelty, said that the Federal Police have had no problems in recruiting people—indeed, in excess of 2,000 people have expressed an interest in joining the Australian Federal Police—and that, when the Australian Federal Police have sought personnel, they have had no trouble whatsoever in getting quality people to sign up.

What the government have said is that we will not embark upon any poaching of the state and territory police forces—the Prime Minister has said it, I have said it, and the police commissioner has said it. Of course, people are free to apply to join the Australian Federal Police, and I would say to those listening that you could certainly have a very rewarding career in an agency such as the Australian Federal Police. The government have announced the biggest boost to the Australian Federal Police since its inception, and funding to that agency has quadrupled under the Howard government—a stark contrast with what the previous government did.

We have increased the overall numbers of the Australian Federal Police; in fact, the latest total numbers of Australian Federal Police, both sworn and unsworn, are 5,600. It is worth while remembering that since 1996 these total AFP staff numbers, excluding the Australian Protective Service, have increased by around 50 per cent. When you include the Protective Service, which has joined with the AFP, that total number rises. I totally reject any allegation that the government has in some way not been supportive of the Australian Federal Police.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order of relevance. I did not ask whether the government supports the AFP. I said that recruitment fell short of the target by 421 officers and asked the minister to confirm that he was short by 421 officers on budget figures.

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do not see a point of order there because, from what I could hear, the minister was quoting the numbers of police officers. I ask him to return to the question.

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

Have you met your recruitment targets yet or not?

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Evans, it was not your question; it was Senator Ludwig’s question.

Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have just referred to the biggest boost to the Australian Federal Police since its inception—dealing with a strategy that will bring in in excess of 400 new officers. That is unprecedented. We stand by our record. The Howard government has given outstanding support to the Australian Federal Police and will continue to do so.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Given that the AFP is already 421 police short of last year’s recruitment target, doesn’t the Prime Minister’s announcement of 422 new police take the force back to where it should have already been by July this year? Why does the minister consistently fail to meet any of the targets that he has set for himself? Is this what the minister means when he keeps telling us that security is a work in progress?

Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ludwig is ignoring the various initiatives we have announced which have involved staffing levels of the Australian Federal Police—for example, the Online Child Sex Exploitation Team and the sexual exploitation and trafficking team. We are totally satisfied with the work that the Australian Federal Police is doing. Senator Ludwig ought to pay recognition instead of questioning the support of the government. He should recognise that this government has given unprecedented support to the Australian Federal Police, in stark contrast with the former Labor government. They have a cheek to question our commitment to the Australian Federal Police when we have quadrupled funding since this government came to office.