Mark Vaile (Lyne, National Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank honourable members for their contributions to the debate on this bill and I would also like to take the opportunity to acknowledge the Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport for their attention and input—in particular, in relation to the screening and clearing of dignitaries and their consideration of a proposed new section for interference with the operations of a security controlled airport by persons outside the boundary of that airport. Aviation security is a very high priority for our government, as we continue to say. It is under constant review to ensure that the regulatory framework is responsive to changing threats to the Australian aviation industry. As has been highlighted by the contributions from the other side, we do maintain the arrangements under constant review. We are responding to the recommendations that have been outlined in the Wheeler review. To date we have spent about $886 million implementing the Wheeler recommendations. Implementation of some aspects of the Wheeler review is going to take some time. It is not just a matter of making a decision, spending the money and then they are implemented on that day. There are issues where agencies are improving their cooperation and improving the sharing of intelligence which will take time to achieve. But certainly we are absolutely focused on implementing those Wheeler review recommendations.

The other aspect that the shadow minister reflected on is the operation of the Office of Transport Security and the inspector in that position. Of course, we want to respond to circumstances to ensure that there are not systemic failings in the system. There are always going to be one-off issues, and the shadow minister referenced one which answered his question with regard to regional carriers coming into Sydney. There was another one in Melbourne yesterday morning where, inadvertently, a contractor in the airport came back through an entry point to hand some keys back to someone but stayed air side, causing a perceived security breach. So the whole place was put on alert to screen everybody on that side in the secure area. Those circumstances will occur from time to time. We need to be prepared to respond to them in that manner, as in Melbourne yesterday and as occurs in Sydney where people arriving from an unscreened circumstance at a regional airport on a turboprop RPT operation are marshalled at the steps of the aircraft. They are accompanied by secure persons from there on a bus into an area that is outside the secure area in the airport.

The shadow minister gave the example of a busload of passengers being delivered through the wrong door. Obviously, the response to that is that everybody in the secure area must be rescreened. Those circumstances may arise from time to time, no matter how much effort is put in. But certainly the intention is that people on regional RPTs who are coming into airports from unscreened regional airports go into an unscreened area. They are not allowed to go into the screened secure area at Sydney airport; therefore, they are not near any of those higher target operations of the jet passenger services.

These amendments are about the continuing job of improving and focusing on our aviation transport security. Firstly, of the four amendments, the Aviation Transport Security Act is amended so that regulations can be made to prohibit activities or conduct taking place outside airport boundaries which disrupt or interfere with the operations of a security controlled airport—in particular, shining a laser device through the airport fence at an aircraft. Examples of this conduct have occurred. It is a highly dangerous act; it is a very irresponsible act. I appreciate the comment made by the member for Batman, who said that we do not want to highlight this in the broader community—

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