Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Justice and the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Counter-Terrorism. Will the minister update the House on the government's recent investments in our law enforcement agencies, and what are the threats to those agencies?

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

I thank the member for Wright for that question. In this year's budget, the government has invested a further $321 million in the Australian Federal Police. This money will go to 100 additional intelligence experts, over 100 tactical response and covert surveillance operators, and almost 100 forensic specialists, to advance our fight against crime and terrorism.

This is the largest investment in the domestic capability of the Australian Federal Police in over a decade, and no government is more committed to the Australian Federal Police than this one. But we have been reminded just yesterday that not everybody shares our commitment to the Australian Federal Police—

Mr Keogh interjecting—

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

The member for Burt will leave under 94(a).

The member for Burt then left the chamber.

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

Just yesterday the Victorian secretary of the CFMEU, John Setka, viciously attacked the men and women of the Australian Federal Police. Mr Speaker, I will not go through all the disgusting things that this man said about the people who are protecting us, but just let me give you the flavour of what he said. Setka said: 'The Federal Police are supposed to be protecting us from terrorism. What an'—expletive—'job they are doing at the moment, these'—expletive—'morons.' He then went on to attack the independence of the Australian Federal Police, labelling them a 'political police force,' and calling them 'Howard's henchmen' and 'Turnbull's henchmen'. Who is this guy John Setka? This guy has the rat feet of a career criminal. He has been convicted or charged of 40 separate crimes, including—and very importantly—five counts of assaulting police officers. This guy and the union he runs are factional allies of the Leader of the Opposition. He is a factional ally and an integral part of the Leader of the Opposition's political machine—so much so that he was a guest of honour at the Leader of the Opposition's election night party. When the Leader of the Opposition was asked about this at his press conference today, he said nothing about this, by the way, nothing at all until he was asked about it this morning. He said that he repudiates the remarks and that he disassociates himself from the remarks of this man. If you want to repudiate the remarks of John Setka, if you want to repudiate the CFMEU, stop taking their money—$3 million have been given by the CFMEU to the Labor Party since the member for Maribyrnong became Leader of the Opposition. Stop taking their money. Stop having them as an integral part of your political machine, and stop inviting them to your parties.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to table the transcript of the Leader of the Opposition, which begins with the words:

I repudiate in the strongest possible terms what was said yesterday.

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

Leave is not granted.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You missed that bit!

Government members interjecting—

Mr Pyne interjecting—

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

Members on my right. The Leader of the House will cease interjecting. The Leader of the Opposition.