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

My question is to the Prime Minister. The Federal Police commissioner told Senate estimates today that this year's budget will mean that 567 staff will be cut from the Australian Federal Police over the next four years. Why is it that the Prime Minister is cutting 567 Federal Police staff at the same time as he's giving $80 billion to big business, including $17 billion to the big banks?

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

There has never been an Australian government that provides more support to the Australian Federal Police than the one I lead. Funding for the Federal Police has not been reduced. In fact, I can confirm that the AFP's funding has risen in the 2018-19 budget to $1.485 billion. This funding increase provides almost 150 additional ASL in the next financial year, 2018-19, with up to 269 additional staff over the forward estimates. Included within the funding is $107 million for aviation, air cargo and international mail security; $68.6 million for the establishment of the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation; $4.7 million for assistance to Papua New Guinea for hosting APEC this year; and $12.6 million in additional funding for our national security agencies. That is in addition to last year's $321.4 million investment, which was the largest single funding boost for the AFP's domestic policing capabilities in a decade.

Our first priority is the safety and security of Australia and its people—a security the Labor Party abandoned when they outsourced our borders to people smugglers and criminals.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

The Labor Party can call out what they like, but the facts are there and cannot be denied: 50,000 unauthorised arrivals and at least 1,200 deaths at sea.

Now, we stopped the boats and we secured our borders. We ensured that the Australian government, representative of the Australian people, and that it alone, determines who comes to Australia. The Labor Party has failed in government to keep Australians safe and to protect Australians' security. My government is determined to continue to keep Australians safe, and our funding for the AFP and our other security agencies demonstrates that commitment.

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

Is the member for Hotham seeking leave to table a document?

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

I am, Mr Speaker, a document from the Parliamentary Library which shows that the highest funding ever for the AFP was in 2010 to 2011 under Labor. And the funding—

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

No, the member for Hotham will resume her seat. I've made it very clear a number of times—

Mr Fitzgibbon interjecting—

If the member for Hunter could stop being provoked for a second! I've made it clear on a number of occasions that if a document is publicly available there's no—

An opposition member interjecting—

Oh, because it was from the Parliamentary Library, right? Is leave granted?

Leave not granted.