Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I simply make this point to the honourable member. We are dealing with very serious security issues. The risk and threat of terrorism that we face is greater than ever. Daesh is being defeated in the field. We are at risk of foreign fighters and people closely associated with them returning, and it is vital that my ministers and my government have the legislative tools to ensure that they can keep us safe.

We have the shadow Attorney-General raising constitutional questions, apparently, about this legislation, which he recently signed off on. If he has those concerns, I would suggest he holds his nose and does the unspeakable thing of talking to the Attorney. I would suggest that he puts his animosity aside and speaks to the Attorney-General. If he has real concerns, he has to get over these petty personal animosities and get on our team, get on Australia's team, to ensure that we have the right legislation.

Opposition members interjecting—

You can mock, but his job, I would say, Leader of the Opposition, is to work to keep these laws secure. He now raises the issue, overnight, about the post-sentence detention legislation, which has been agreed to by all the states and is of vital importance to ensure that we can keep our citizens safe. If he believes, in his legal eminence, that there are flaws or constitutional problems, he should raise them in the committee. We have to work together on this legislation. The member opposite believes he has a great legal brain—let him bring it to the committee and ensure that we get the right legislation; not these questions that are designed simply to derive political advantage for Labor. (Time expired)

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