Anthony Byrne (Holt, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I appreciate the member for Casey’s forbearance with this. An additional $2.8 million over two years will be provided to the management of border security and maritime people-smuggling, including the provision of support to the newly created Border Protection Committee of Cabinet. This measure forms part of the Australian government’s layered response in combating people-smuggling.

An additional $1.4 million over four years has been provided to establish the National Security Legislation Monitor—and I think you are going to find this is a very significant reform—in the department, to review the operation of counterterrorism and national security legislation. I am sure the member for Isaacs, seated on my left, who is a member of the Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, will welcome that particular measure. This measure was fully offset by the savings in the Attorney-General’s Department. Additional funding of $0.7 million over four years will be provided to the National Security Adviser for his role in the implementation of enhanced crisis coordination facilities, an initiative that supports the 2008 homeland and border security review.

An additional $4.2 million over four years will be provided to enhance the Community Cabinet program and further direct engagement with the general community. An additional $7.2 million will be provided to sustain the department’s role as a central policy agency and support the government’s program delivery. An additional $3.7 million will be provided over four years to continue funding the National Australia Day Council for Australia Day activities, including the Australian of the Year awards announcement and the Australia Day live concert. Funding of $0.5 million has been provided to the department in 2009-10 to implement the Nation Building and Jobs Plan.

Additional funding of $17.9 million over five years was included in the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook under the item ‘Decisions taken but not yet announced’. This funding was provided to establish the National Security Adviser Group within the department. To facilitate transparency and accountability, the measure has been included in the 2009-10 portfolio budget statements, with the full measure description appearing in Budget Paper No. 2. Like other government agencies, PM&C has also delivered savings measures as part of this budget. Savings totalling $1 million over four years have been provided. I thank the member for Casey for his forbearance in this particular matter.

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