Penny Wright SA, Australian Greens
2:16 pm
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. I refer to the Prime Minister's announcement to media outlets this morning that tonight's budget will include a further $450 million for spy agencies, taking the total of the coalition's anti-terror spending announcements to over $1 billion. My question is: why is only a minuscule proportion of this money, $35.4 million, 3.2 per cent, going to something that will actually make us safer—that is, community cohesion programs?
Eric Abetz Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment
2:17 pm
I think I can understand why the Greens in the reshuffle moved Senator Wright a little bit further backwards. If there is one duty of a national government, it is to protect its borders from external aggression, and then to protect its citizenry from the sorts of activities to which the senator referred—and that is terrorism. I make no apology for this government being absolutely committed to protecting its citizens and residents from terrorism and terrorist attacks. The best way to do that, with great respect, is to ensure that the law enforcement agencies have the capacity to protect us—laws against which the Greens continually vote. Why? I do not know.
In relation to social cohesion, of course everybody wants social cohesion. We all support social cohesion, but what we do not support are those people that deliberately embark on a course to ensure, in effect, the downfall of our society, and that is what some of these people, unfortunately, are dedicated to. And Senator Cameron is laughing. Well, the death cult of Daesh—
Doug Cameron NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services
Yeah, laughing at you! I'm laughing at you.
Eric Abetz Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment
The death cult of Daesh—
George Brandis Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General
Serious people take this seriously—
Eric Abetz Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment
This is a frontbencher of Mr Shorten's. This is the Labor Party attitude on such a serious issue.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
We show bipartisanship on this. Settle down.
Eric Abetz Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment
Senator Wong interjects and says, 'We show bipartisanship on this.' Then let your frontbench show it by their actions. Their actions speak so much louder than their words.
Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania, Australian Greens
On a point of order, I understand you were speaking to the Clerk, Mr President, but I was on my feet for a while, and Senator Abetz was not addressing the question. He was addressing the Labor Party, a totally separate issue to the question that was being asked.
Stephen Parry President
Thank you, Senator Whish-Wilson. I think even the minister has acknowledged that. Minister, have you concluded your answer?
Eric Abetz Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment
Yes, I have, and the time has run out too.
Penny Wright SA, Australian Greens
2:19 pm
Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I will not stoop to personal comments—I do not need to do that—but I will ask: why is it that, when almost all counter-terror experts are recommending greater investment in deradicalisation programs, the government is directing almost every national security dollar away from community programs to prevent young people from being radicalised in the first place?
Eric Abetz Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment
2:20 pm
When it comes to personal comments, I would just invite Senator Wright to have a look at the comments of her Deputy Leader Ludlam in relation to the Prime Minister. So, before you seek to take any high moral ground, I suggest you deal with your own deputy leader.
Having said that, can I say that this government is absolutely committed to seeing every possible element of the government's resources being used in an effective manner to ensure the deradicalisation or, indeed, prevent the radicalisation. Of course, rather than deradicalising somebody, we would prefer they were never radicalised at all. So that is where we all in this place have an important responsibility, and part of that important responsibility is to say, without any equivocation, that IS and Daesh—the death cult—are an untold evil. (Time expired)
Penny Wright SA, Australian Greens
2:21 pm
Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister clarify why the Prime Minister continues to use the term 'death cult' even though experts say it is counter-productive, ineffective and does some of the terror groups' marketing for them? Is it because your government is more concerned—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Government Senators:
Government senators interjecting—
Stephen Parry President
Order! Just a moment, Senator Wright. On my right!
Penny Wright SA, Australian Greens
Is it because your government is more concerned with polling data than actually making Australians safer?
Senator Brandis interjecting—
Stephen Parry President
Senator Brandis! You will have to withdraw that.
Eric Abetz Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment
2:22 pm
We make no apologies for calling these evil elements a death cult, because when you line up Christians and behead them—on video—when you rape women and say, 'That's okay' because they are of a different religion—and then kill them—you know what? That is a death cult. And I do not think any Australian would disagree with the use of that terminology. So now, all of a sudden, people who engage in this behaviour should no longer be called murderers—they are murderers. We will call them murderers. And we will not rest as a government until such time as our population and the world population is safe from this evil death cult.