My question is for the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs, Minister Watt. The Australian Federal Police has been tasked with providing the protective security framework for the AUKUS submarine program and, in response, has established the AUKUS Command. Noting that by the end of 2027 Australia will not have any nuclear submarines and there won't be any nuclear submarines under construction in Australia then, the task seems to be totally focused on protecting American and British submarines rotating through Australia. The AFP has been allocated an additional $199.1 million over the 2026-27 and 2027-28 period. What additional annual funding will the AFP need to provide a protective security framework for the AUKUS nuclear submarine program from financial year 2027-28 to financial year 2035-36, and how much of this funding will be met by the defence budget?

I thank you, Senator Lambie, for the question. I'll certainly provide you with the information that I have on this matter and, if there's anything further I can provide, I'll come back to you on that. I'm advised that the budget has made provision for the protective service framework that you've referred to over the budget years. It's certainly not just a one-off set of funding.

As you mentioned in your question, Senator Lambie, the AFP was assigned $199.1 million to deliver 199 PFO and a total of 245 ASL to provide force protection at HMAS Stirling. This was in the 2025-26 budget. That extra staffing is being delivered and is well on track. That's what I'm advised. The reason this funding was provided is that much of our national security work can only be done by the professionals in the AFP.

These are important AUKUS jobs, and this government takes security very seriously. We have enormous respect for the AFP. The AFP has not engaged and is not engaging any contractors to provide this force protection capability, but, more broadly, Senator Lambie, I am advised that the budget has made provision for the protective service framework that you've referred to across the budget years, and, if there's any further information I can provide to you, I'll certainly do that.

Senator Lambie, first supplementary?

The AFP has previously stated 199 protective services officers will be required at HMAS Stirling. For perspective, in June 2025, the AFP had a total of 838 protective service officers, so AUKUS protection requires 24 per cent of the AFP's total protective service officers, even with a total workforce headcount increase of 101. How many sworn officers have been pulled from other tasks to cover security obligations at HMAS Stirling and Osborne?

Senator Lambie, as you have mentioned in your questions, the AFP was assigned additional funding to be able to undertake this work. I'm not aware of existing officers being taken away from their ordinary duties to perform this kind of work. If that is not the case, again, I will report back in the usual way. I'd also make the point that, in this year's federal budget, we did not only made those provisions that I've already referred to. The AFP was provided an extra $205 million in funding in 2026-27, compared to the previous year. I'm also advised that the headcount for the AFP overall increased by about 435 between June last year and June this year. We recognise that the AFP perform really valuable services across the community, including this AUKUS role, and we want to make sure that they are well resourced. That's what we're doing through the budget.

Senator Lambie, second supplementary?

I'll just to get this clear. During estimates in May this year, the AFP advised the AFP headcount was as large as it had been at 8,666—a bit of a surprise compared to the 8,094 for the financial year 25-26 and the forecast of 8,195 for the financial year 26-27. Has the AFP been allocated an increase to the overall headcount and the average staffing level to specifically undertake the AUKUS nuclear submarine protection role?

Thanks, Senator Lambie. As I say, the information that I've been provided with is that the AFP was assigned $199.1 million and a total of 245 ASL to provide force protection at HMAS Stirling. That was provided in the 2025-26 budget. That would seem to mean that that was additional funding. Again, I'll take advice on that and come back to you if there's anything I can add.