Wyatt Roy (Longman, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the critically important issue of national security. The harsh reality of modern times is that the world is often more dangerous. Since last September, we have seen two home grown terrorist attacks inspired by the Daesh death cult. Australian authorities have disrupted six planned attacks. In only nine months 23 people have been arrested as a result of seven counterterrorism operations around Australia. That is more than a third of all terrorism related arrests since 2001.

The escalating security crisis in Iraq and Syria poses an ongoing terrorist threat not only to the Middle East but to Australia and our region. Our security agencies are managing over 400 high-priority counterterrorism investigations. There are 260 Australians either fighting in Syria or Iraq or supporting the conflicts from here in Australia. At least 26 and possibly as many as 35 Australians are believed to have been killed fighting with terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq.

The coalition government will do what it can to stop people from leaving to fight with the Daesh death cult. If you do leave, we will stop you from coming back in. If you manage to come back, we will do everything humanly possible to put you in jail. Our message to people who leave Australia to fight for terrorist armies in the Middle East is a simple one: we do not want you back.

The first duty of government is to keep our country safe, and the last thing any of us want to see is terrorists in our community. If you go and fight with a terrorist organisation against Australian forces and you are a dual national, we will strip you of your citizenship because you have made a decision to no longer uphold the privileges that come with being an Australian citizen. We are simply stamping your removal of that citizenship.

We must respect and defend the gift of Australian citizenship. If necessary, that means quarantining it from those who seek to do us harm. Our legislation will update the Australian Citizenship Act 2007. Since 1948 Australians with dual citizenship who fight for a country at war with Australia have forfeited their citizenship. The updated law will ensure dual nationals who serve or fight for terrorist groups or engage in terrorism related conduct inspired by terrorist groups will also automatically lose their Australian citizenship. As well, the act will be amended to ensure dual nationals who are convicted of specified terrorism related offences automatically lose their Australian citizenship. Dual nationals who engage in terrorism are betraying their allegiance to our country and do not deserve to be Australian citizens. These new laws will be another measure to counter the growing terrorism threat.

This is on top of the additional $630 million the coalition government is investing in boosting our counterterrorism capabilities. We are investing $13.4 million to strengthen community engagement programs in Australia, with an emphasis on preventing young Australians from becoming involved with extremist groups. We are investing $32.7 million for a multi-agency national disruption group to investigate, prosecute and disrupt foreign fighters and their supporters. We are investing $11.8 million for the Australian Federal Police to bolster its ability to respond to the threat of foreign fighters at home and abroad, including local and regional liaison officers and two new investigative teams to help reduce the threat of extremists leaving Australia.

For all of us in this place it is very clear that the first duty of the government of the day is to defend the Australian people. We in the coalition government remain absolutely resolute in our commitment to keep Australians safe.

Bruce Scott (Maranoa, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! It being 9:30 pm, the debate is interrupted.

House adjourned at 21:30