Michael Sukkar (Deakin, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Justice, will the minister update the House on the cooperation between state and federal law enforcement agencies in combating the terror threat?

Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Deakin for that question. We know that countering the threat of terrorism requires a coordinated national response. Information sharing is critical and the dedication of our state and federal law enforcement authorities to work together to keep Australia safe is paramount.

We have seen an unprecedented level of cooperation between state and federal law enforcement in the last few weeks with the execution of arrest warrants in Queensland, New South Wales and this morning in Victoria. These operations show that our state and territory law enforcement agencies are working hand in glove to disrupt terrorist activities and the people who would finance those activities.

We saw this cooperation in Melbourne with the involvement of over 100 Victoria and Federal Police officers in the execution of seven search warrants across Melbourne this morning. This operation was undertaken by the joint counterterrorism team based in Victoria, which is Australian Federal Police and Victoria Police working together in the same team. It was the culmination of an eight-month long investigation, which also involved cooperation with our international partners, in particular the FBI.

I commend the Victorian joint counterterrorism team. They had a tough week last week with the serious injuries that two of their colleagues sustained at the Endeavour Hills police station. The Attorney-General and I met with the joint counterterrorism team on Friday morning in Melbourne. It was impressive to see the courage and dedication of these men and women.

It is critical that our agencies continue to work together and it is critical that state and federal governments continue to do the same. This Friday in Geelong all state and territory attorneys-general and police ministers will meet with the heads of our security and law enforcement agencies under the new Law, Crime and Community Safety Council. The establishment of this council was an initiative of the Abbott government and at its second meeting the Commonwealth will lead discussions on the changed security environment. ASIO will brief ministers on the national security threat assessment and the Australian Federal Police will discuss the outcomes of recent raids and the need for increased security awareness. I will brief the states on the breakdown of the Commonwealth's $630 million counterterrorism package and also on the three stages of our legislative reform.

Now more than ever before it is vital that police ministers and law-makers are at the same table. We have seen the success of existing arrangements between state and territory law enforcement and this government will continue to work with our state and territory counterparts in our targeted national response in the fight against terror.