Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm Senate committee evidence that ASIO has reduced its overseas presence and reduced its foreign engagement for training and capability purposes as a result of funding pressure? Does the Prime Minister still dispute the member for Holt's conclusion that these agencies have effectively been sequestered from funding to perform their tasks?

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I refer the Leader of the Opposition to my answers yesterday and refer him, again, to the increased funding provision for ASIO. I refer him to the 2013-14 budget: a 10 per cent increase. I refer him to the fact that, over the life of the government, our funding has increased by 27 per cent. I also refer him to the fact that the average staffing level for ASIO has increased 32 per cent over that period.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask a supplementary question. I take the point that the Prime Minister made about funding and staffing but I again ask: does she accept evidence given to a Senate committee that ASIO has reduced its overseas presence and reduced its foreign engagement? And I again ask: does she still maintain that the member for Holt is wrong? (Time expired)

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I understand the Leader of the Opposition's words, he has resiled from every assertion made by the opposition yesterday in question time about the funding for ASIO. He has accepted the facts that I have just laid before the parliament, and not a moment too soon, because the facts are the facts and they are exactly as I have outlined them.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition on a second supplementary.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I quote from Senate committee evidence:

ASIO has (a) reduced its overseas presences and (b) reduced its foreign engagement.

Can the Prime Minister confirm that these are facts?

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I can confirm, contrary to all of the assertions made by the opposition yesterday, is that ASIO is resourced to do the job the nation needs it to do and its resources have been increasing.