Russell Trood (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, my question is to the Minister representing the Attorney-General, Senator Ludwig. Can the minister confirm reports that an agreement has been reached with ASIO to ensure that the 900-odd detainees at Christmas Island found to be refugees but waiting for security checks will be processed within the next six weeks? Does the minister agree that the delay in completing these checks is a massive failure of policy and a reflection of the fact that the Labor government is no longer able to manage Australia’s borders?

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

I thank Senator Trood for his question. ASIO’s priority and responsibility is to ensure that Australia’s security is not compromised. Security assessments therefore must be thorough and ASIO is working closely with DIAC on the visa security assessment case load and agreed priorities. ASIO relies on DIAC to prioritise the case load so that it can be addressed. ASIO regularly reviews and revises the allocation of resources to security assessments as required through the rearrangement of resources. ASIO, I am advised, is able to respond to changing priorities and increase the workload where it is needed. So processing times, as I have said before in this chamber, do vary in accordance with several variable things such as the circumstances of each individual case, the size and complexity of the case load and the external factors beyond ASIO’s control.

At the outset I reject the premise of the question. What ASIO is doing is working through the prioritised case load to ensure (a) that there are thorough security checks and (b) that they do work with DIAC to prioritise that work to ensure that they meet individual circumstances. This is what the opposition seem to miss in this: the time taken to process will vary depending on the individual circumstances of each individual case. It will vary because of the necessity to either gain information and wait for a response or alternatively the type or size or complexity of the individual case itself. So that is an explanation for the time it will take to assess cases. (Time expired)

Russell Trood (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you for that circumlocution, Minister. Perhaps you could mention six weeks in your answer. I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister assure the Senate that, in its haste to make up for its massive policy failure, the rigour of the security assessments will not be compromised and that Australians can be confident that no-one will be released from detention who has not been cleared?

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

What the opposition failed to appreciate in the first question I answered, and the second question I am going to respond to, is that the security assessment process is and remains an important element of Australia’s robust border security regime and will not be compromised. That is what I said at the outset and we continue to do that. I know the supplementary question really rewords the first question, but I will continue nevertheless.

The Australian public expects nothing less than that we will not compromise our border security and we will not compromise on the required checks that need to be done. With the security assessments over recent months there has been ongoing collaboration between the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the immigration department to streamline security checking arrangements and to reduce processing time without compromising national security.

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

Mr President, I have waited until the minister has almost exhausted his time before taking this point of order. But what the question asked was whether Australians can be confident that no-one will be released from detention who has not been cleared. That is the issue that he has not addressed. He has not addressed that issue. He can either give that assurance in the terms asked of him or he cannot.

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

I just refer the senator to the Hansard. If he had been listening, Senator Ludwig directly provided the answer, which is that there would be no compromising of the current security arrangements. That is a direct answer to the question.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order. Senator Ludwig, you have three seconds remaining to answer the question.

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

I have answered the question.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You have answered the question.

Russell Trood (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Given that the expedited assessments are likely to place increased pressure on ASIO, can the minister assure the Senate that this will not compromise ASIO’s other responsibilities? Can the minister assure the Senate that the reallocation of resources within ASIO will not compromise Australia’s national security?

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

What ASIO have done is divert significant resources to undertake security assessments within the way that they will manage their portfolio and their responsibilities. National security remains, and continues to remain, an important element of ASIO’s work, as are the security assessments that they do with DIAC, prioritising that work to ensure that they can process those on time. When ASIO does work through and conduct those security assessments, it does so with DIAC to ensure that they can process it in accordance with the work that is being set by ASIO and DIAC to ensure that the work continues.

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

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.