Sarah Henderson (Corangamite, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister update the House on the government's actions to give our security agencies the resources they need to combat home-grown terrorism?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Corangamite for her question. I can assure her and I can assure the people of Australia that the first duty of government, certainly the first duty of this government, is the safety of our community. In fairness, I acknowledge that this has been a principle held by all Australian governments and it is acknowledged also by the opposition. I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the support he has given to this government's national security measures. It is particularly important to safeguard the community at a time of increased national security challenges. As this House well knows, there are some 60 Australians, most of them born and bred in this country, who are now fighting with terrorist groups in the Middle East. There are some 100 Australians who are supporting and facilitating the work of those terrorist groups in the Middle East.

I want to make it crystal clear that any Australian who is fighting with a terrorist group overseas is guilty of a very serious offence. This government is determined that anyone who has been fighting with terrorist groups overseas will be detained, charged and jailed should that person return to Australia because we have seen what they can do abroad and it is absolutely essential that they never do this at home. We have seen it abroad; we must stop it here at home.

The government has committed a further $630 million towards our security agencies. I can announce today that this includes $24 million for the Australian Crime Commission to establish a foreign fighters task force and an additional 22 agents are being recruited to take on this vital job. The Australian Crime Commission has the power to compel witnesses on pain of contempt proceedings and therefore it has a unique capacity to add to our understanding of how terrorist and potential terrorist networks operate. I want to stress that this government is putting measures in place that are directed against extremism, not against any particular community in this country. We are targeting terrorism, not religion. That is what this government is doing. That is what this government will always do. I want to assure this House and the people of Australia that we will do what is needed to keep our country safe.