Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Hansard source

It is a fact of life in 2015 that governments must be constantly vigilant about safety and security in transport systems. This is especially the case with aviation. Anyone who remembers the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre on 11 September, 2001 will understand the horrible consequences of a terrorist attack on an aircraft. Travellers know only too well the levels of security checks that have become necessary in this day and age. Nobody likes the inconvenience, nobody likes the queues, but we all know that this is a serious business. Our approach must be based upon the principle of safety first, and it is not only about aircraft passengers. We need to ensure that our systems for handling air cargo are also up to date and efficient. And we have to balance that security requirement against the need to keep goods moving in the name of efficiency and productivity. The time involved in checking cargo is significant.

The Aviation Transport Security Amendment (Cargo) Bill seeks to grapple with the need to carefully balance the competing needs of public safety as well as keeping our economy moving. The opposition will be supporting this legislation because we believe it is in the public interest. The impetus for this particular change has its roots in our relationship with the United States of America. US law requires that all airlines transporting cargo into the US inspect each and every item, piece by piece. The US has noted that existing arrangements in Australia do not meet that standard. As a result, Australia has negotiated a two-year transition period, during which we will move to satisfy the US requirements.

This bill seeks to make industry a partner in this process, to smooth out the process in consultation with industry, as is appropriate. It establishes a Known Consignor category in the transport security regulatory network. This invests the responsibility to screen cargo with the shipper or originator of the goods and establishes a system that maintains security across the supply chain. It will mean that cargo handled by a Known Consignor will not need to be inspected at an airport. It is a case of working with industry to secure a positive outcome that maintains safety whilst boosting efficiency. In addition to this piece of legislation, the transition to a US-compliant system is already under way. Some businesses have already been approved to conduct their own security checks, away from airports, removing the need for double-handling at those airports.

I have said many times, in this place, as the minister for transport in the previous government and as shadow minister for transport now, that aviation security should be a non-partisan issue. We can have our arguments here about policy, about ideology and about politics. But when it comes to securing the safety of the travelling public, we should be on a unity ticket and we should take the advice of safety and security experts. Our joint policy of both the government and the opposition is safety first. Labor can always be relied upon to take seriously matters to do with aviation.

I was the minister during what became known as the 'undie bomber' incident all those years ago. I well recall the meetings over that Christmas and New Year period, where the world responded quickly and in a coordinated way to the perceived threat. I know from my experience in government that Minister Truss has also taken those responsibilities seriously. Whether in his current position as the minister or as shadow minister he has acted in a mature and responsible way. This is good legislation and I commend the bill to the House.

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