Clare O'Neil (Hotham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister, and I refer to these reports today—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Hotham knows the rule on props.

Clare O'Neil (Hotham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I refer to reports today about some Australian Federal Police officers facing pay cuts of up to $35,000 a year because of cuts to allowances for working late nights and weekends. Why is the Prime Minister cutting the pay of hardworking police officers who protect Australians at the same time as he is cutting the penalty rates of nearly 700,000 Australians? Why is the Prime Minister determined to cut the pay of Australians who work on Sundays?

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

My government is absolutely committed to defending and supporting our national security agencies, the Australian Federal Police, the security service and the intelligence services, and we are giving them support—

Ms Macklin interjecting—

Ms O'Neil interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Member for Jagajaga! The member for Hotham will not use her prop.

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

at a level they have never had before. I will ask the Minister for Justice to respond to the question concerning the AFP pay.

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

Well, you have never seen a better example of the post-truth politics that occupies the minds of the Labor Party. What complete rot and absolute nonsense! To march in here and say that says everything about your ability to understand this portfolio. Let's go through the record in relation to the AFP and to Australia's national security. I will go through the record of this side of the House and then I will go through your record in government, which was shameful.

In office, we have supported our agencies through the very difficult job they need to do in the environment, which is a deteriorating environment, of our national security. We have provided $116 million to the National Anti-Gang Squad, with strike teams in every state and territory which link back into the brains here at the Australian Gangs Intelligence Coordination Centre; $21 million for the trade union royal commission task force, to go after dodgy unionists—the ones who like to punch on against police officers; $25 million to expand the AFP's national forensics lab; $15 million for the Fraud and Anti-Corruption Centre; $128 million for the Serious Financial Crime Taskforce; and $180 million for the specific protection of the AFP officers who protect us—their personal protection and also protecting their network of buildings around the country.

Mr Brian Mitchell interjecting—

Now let us compare and contrast what happened between 2007 and 2013.

Ms Macklin interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will resume his seat. The member for Jagajaga will cease interjecting. The Leader of the Opposition on a point of order?

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, on relevance. Are you cutting the pay of our police officers—yes or no?

Honourable members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat. Members on my right will cease interjecting. I have cautioned members, including the Leader of the Opposition, on points of order. Points of order are not an opportunity to repeat the question or to paraphrase the question.

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

I was interrupted as I was going to run through the record of the Labor Party in office between 2007 and 2013—a shameful record. They cut the guts out of the Commonwealth law enforcement community.

Opposition members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Justice will resume his seat. The member for Isaacs is warned, as is the member for Canberra. And the member for McEwen can leave under 94(a).

The member for McEwen then left the chamber.

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

When the Labor Party were in office they cut $128 million from the Australian Federal Police between 2010 and 2013. They cut $30 million and 88 staff from the Australian Crime Commission, completely gutting that agency—a specialised agency that protects us from organised crime and terrorism. They cut $27 million and 56 staff from AUSTRAC, our anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing agency. It was a shameful record of abuse of Commonwealth law enforcement when they were in office. When we arrived in office, my most important job was rebuilding from the damage rort by the Labor Party during the six years of the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd government.