Bruce Scott (Maranoa, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise this evening to talk about a motion put forward by the member for Barton relating to suicide terrorism and its lethal nature. Not only has suicide terrorism become more prevalent, it is a senseless waste of innocent human life. Suicide terrorism, and indeed all forms of terrorism, is certainly something this government condemns. We are committed to playing our role in combating terrorism wherever it occurs in the world.

There are two parts to this motion. I support the first element, which is calling on the House to note the dreadful nature of suicide terrorism and its increase around the world. But I do have a problem, as other members on this side of the House have spoken about, with the second element. Let me explain the reasons for that for the benefit of the House. This government has developed a strong holistic legal framework to meet the new terrorism threats which have emerged since 9/11 and which focuses on deterring terrorists from Australia and apprehending terrorists and punishing the perpetrators of terrorism. The Criminal Code also makes it an offence to engage in, train for, prepare, plan, finance or otherwise support terrorist activities. The government has also defined a terrorist act in the Criminal Code Act—and the member for Mitchell outlined those words and I want to repeat them:

… an action or threat of action that causes serious physical harm or death to a person; or endangers a person’s life; or creates a serious risk to public health or safety; or causes serious damage to property; or seriously interferes with, disrupts or destroys an electronic system with the intention of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause and with the intention of coercing or influencing by intimidation the government of Australia or a foreign government, or intimidating the public.

This definition has been supported by the Security Legislation Review Committee in its report of June this year. To further illustrate the government’s commitment to fighting terrorism, there are 13 international conventions on terrorism, of which Australia is signatory to 12. Currently, this government is also taking steps, as a matter of priority, to sign the treaty which relates to the Convention on the Marking of Plastic Explosives for the Purpose of Detection. That was a treaty discussed in Montreal as far back as 1991. We have also introduced legislation to parliament implementing the obligations under the convention on 7 September 2006. These international conventions cover all types of terrorist acts and behaviours and do not single out specific acts of terrorism like suicide.

Because suicide terrorism is extremely specific in its actual nature, defining it in legislation would set a precedent for motions like this to be brought forward in the future to define all specific acts of terrorism. In any event, the Criminal Code covers all conceivable acts of terrorism, and I believe that this is adequate. The more definitions described in legislation, the easier it will become for new acts of terrorism—ones that we have never seen or even thought of before—to fall outside the definition in the legislation.

See this speech in context