Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise also to support the Aviation Transport Security Amendment (Air Cargo) Bill 2011. The bill is designed to make a series of mainly technical amendments to the Aviation Transport Security Act 2004 to enhance Australia's ability to respond to emerging threats in aviation security and clarify existing provisions. The bill flows on from the action which was taken by the coalition after September 11, 2001, when we took necessary action to improve aviation security following the dreadful and appalling acts which occurred on that day. The importance of aviation security really hit home after 2001, and we saw that on two fronts. One is that the globe in many ways came to a standstill once it was realised that world aviation could be threatened by people who wanted to do nothing else but disrupt global air travel and to achieve nothing else but disrupt world trade completely. The importance of our aviation sector to global trade can never be underestimated. A country like Australia is wholly dependent on being able to export at least 80 per cent of what it produces, so if we cannot guarantee that those goods and services can access overseas markets by aviation then we put a hole in our national economy. Roughly 30 per cent of what we produce is reliant, in one way or another, on the aviation sector to get to global markets. Our tourism sector also is wholly reliant on our aviation sector. If we cannot allow Australians to travel overseas or, equally important, to enable foreign visitors to reach our shores, that also potentially and realistically puts a huge hole in the Australian economy.

But we have to make sure that in taking security measures in aviation we get the balance right. I think that, fortunately, this bill does that. We saw that some of the requirements put in place by the US and the European Union in the months that followed September 11 did have consequences for Australia's commercial interests. We have to plan so that, if there are future security issues in aviation, we make sure that the measures are balanced so that they do not impact on our commercial interests and fail to achieve the goals which they set out to do in our aviation security.

Following the actions that the coalition took after September 11, in February 2010 the Labor government announced the Strengthening Aviation Security Initiative, which consisted of a number of measures designed to strengthen Australia's international and domestic security against emerging threats. It highlighted that the government would invest $200 million in new and improved security technologies, including increased policing at airports and enhanced security procedures, as well as strengthened international cooperation. The announcement included $54.2 million for the establishment of a regulated shipper scheme and funding to assist industry to procure approximate examination technology such as X-ray and explosive trace detection equipment to secure air cargo.

The coalition has previously supported other measures in this package when they have come before the parliament, including the introduction of body scanners facilitated by the Customs Amendment (Export Controls and Other Measures) Bill. That is why we are also happy to support this bill. The announcement in February last year built on the enhanced aviation measures outlined in the government's aviation white paper, Flight path to the future, which was released in December. Once again, the coalition, correctly, generally endorsed this white paper because it was a logical progression of the Wheeler review of aviation, which was set up and completed by the former coalition government in 2005. I must say that it is incredibly pleasing to see that both sides of the House have proceeded in such a sensible and formal way with these measures. It shows that on this issue we can all work together to make sure that the aviation industry is securely protected. In the support we saw for the Wheeler review, followed by the aviation white paper, we have shown correctly that we are working well together on this issue. This is an important issue. In late October of last year we saw that cargo from Yemen had improvised explosive devices concealed inside printers. They were sent as air cargo consignments to the USA. If those devices had been detonated we once again could have seen the aviation sector grind to a halt, bringing with it all the economic and personal consequences that go with that.

In Australia the government increased security requirements for cargo from Yemen and Somalia, using the relevant acts. The situation demonstrated that we do have the ability to respond quickly. That is very pleasing given all the work that has gone on from both sides of the House on this issue.

This bill contains four measures designed to improve Australia's aviation security regime. The first amends the definition of 'aviation industry participant' to include accredited air cargo agents. This is a logical inclusion and once again one that we on this side support. Accredited air cargo agents include smaller operators involved in the aviation industry who have less complex business operations, such as couriers and contact drivers. By including them within the definition, they will be required to have a transport security program and, importantly, it will ensure consistent and coordinated responses across the industry to special security directions. It will also compel them to comply with incident reporting requirements.

The second part of the bill refers to and extends the validity of regulated air cargo agent transport security programs. Once again, this is fairly straightforward in that the amendment is intended to ease the burden on industry participants and the department during the transition to the new air cargo security framework. The transitional provision will allow the industry to determine the most appropriate regulatory scheme for their business, reduce compliance costs and streamline arrangements, all of which is to be applauded.

The third allows for a legislative instrument to prescribe security training requirements. Allowing for a legislative instrument to prescribe requirements rather than by notice will increase transparency and allow for the scrutiny of parliament of the prescribed levels of security training. It is a sensible provision, especially in the fact that it allows parliament some oversight.

Fourthly, the bill makes two minor technical amendments. It removes certification provisions to reflect current operational practices already applied in the industry. Secondly, the bill replaces the term 'freight' with the term 'cargo', which is more relevant for industry participants. The term 'cargo' is used in other parts of the bill, so this amendment makes terminology more consistent throughout the bill.

This bill is supported by the coalition. We recognise the importance of aviation security. It obviously has consequences for the security of all Australian citizens. It is important for the flow of commerce, both to and from Australia. It is also vital to our tourism sector. I endorse this bill.

See this speech in context