Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Home Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Home Affairs. As the Medibank crisis deepens and millions of Australians' personal health data is at risk of exposure, can the minister inform the House of any specific actions taken, as opposed to just expressing sympathy to crack down on cybercriminals? Why has the minister not taken up the coalition's ransomware bill introduced into parliament over a month ago, which would establish tougher penalties for those who engage in cybercrime?

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

Let me make a few points. It is so regrettable that, at a moment like this, the opposition wants to politicise the pain and suffering of Australians. I am genuinely shocked. I have been a member of parliament for nine years, and usually in moments like this we have a rare time to come together as a parliament to help people. I just cannot believe that people who are suffering, who have had personal information about them revealed—you are trying to politicise this. I'm genuinely shocked. Let me say a few things—

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is far too much noise. The member for McPherson has asked her question and was heard in silence out of the respect she deserves. I'm going to give the call to the Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Cyber Security. I'd like the House to listen to what the minister is saying.

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

As I say, it's greatly regrettable that the opposition have decided to politicise this, but let me go with them. I want to say this to the opposition: this is an incredibly embarrassing question from someone who was the minister for cybersecurity five months ago. This problem did not begin on 22 May. I would say to those opposite, as I have said repeatedly, that we are about five years behind where we need to be on cybersecurity. Do you know who ministers were over the previous five years? It was the Minister for Home Affairs and it was the person who sits in the opposition leader's chair.

We would like to collaborate with those opposite to fix what is an urgent national problem that is in part their creation. I would invite them to come together with us to work as a team. If you would like to ask further questions on this matter, I would welcome them because we know quite a bit about the record of the previous Minister for Home Affairs, her treatment of public servants on election day. That demonstrated her commitment to national security issues in this country. We take a different approach. We are trying to fight for our citizens and we are trying to improve this for our country. We invite those opposite to come and join us whenever they're ready to stop shamelessly politicising every issue in this parliament, which they did relentlessly for almost a decade. And where did that get us?

Honourable members interjectin g—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! When the House comes to order, I'll hear from the member for Macnamara.