Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Hansard source

Since March 2005, for the first time, 250 regional airports and airlines have been captured under our aviation security initiative. By way of upgrade, I can advise the Senate—because it is relevant to what Senator Ludwig asked and he might want to listen to the answer—that 750 people are being trained in aviation security, including hand wand metal detection capability. That is a result of the regional initiatives that I mentioned yesterday. As well as that, the regional response teams that I mentioned, which are managed by the Australian Federal Police and which I have responsibility for, have been in action. Over 100 regional airports have been involved in exercises, training and an assessment of security.

At each regional airport, there are varying degrees of assessment in relation to security and various measures are required. This relates to the traffic and the risk assessed, and that has been done in relation to the various airports around Australia. In fact, some of the regional airports I have come across have been quite large; others have been quite remote, involving a strip, and charter aircraft being the only landings there. There is a huge variation when you look at regional airports in Australia. That is why we have put in place an assessment where our regional response teams go out to these regional areas. They deal with the local councils and local police and they operate in relation to joint exercises, training and security assessment. As I say, 750 people have been trained in relation to hand wand metal detection.

As well as that, we have approved funding of $29 million for 124 regional airports. This relates to security infrastructure. It is an essential part of our plan. We have also provided $1.5 million to expand eligibility to include no-jet non-screen transitioning airports, including places like Burnie, Devonport, Groote Eylandt, Mildura and Weipa. This demonstrates the variety of the sorts of regional airports that we are looking at from Tasmania to the gulf. A very important part of our regional initiative is that we look at the different circumstances applying to a particular region. It is not necessarily a one-size-fits-all. We have to address what a particular airport needs, and we rely on the locals to assist us in that regard. That is why we have the joint operations with local police. This is an initiative which has been comprehensive—a $48 million securing our skies initiative. As I say, for the first time, since March 2005, over 250 regional airports and airlines have been captured under our security regime.