Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I want to very briefly indicate my support for the Customs Legislation Amendment (Border Compliance and Other Measures) Bill 2006, and I will save the time of the Senate by not indicating the contents of the bill. They are already set out in the minister’s second reading speech, and both previous speakers have broadly indicated the purpose of this bill. I congratulate the Minister for Justice and Customs, who has been very proactive in his administration of customs legislation and particularly border compliance and other measures for this country. Senator Ellison has, over a number of years, demonstrated his very keen understanding of all of the issues and of what needs to be done. I notice Senator Murray indicated that this seemed to be a piecemeal approach to customs legislation and that there were various bills around. I simply point out that this minister has been very proactive and has dealt with issues as they have arrived. Obviously in the fluid situation that our customs arrangements are in at the moment, particularly with heightened terrorism and increasing drug trafficking, improvements are always needed, and it is a credit to the minister and to the government that as these needs are identified they are immediately addressed by legislation as required. My congratulations to the minister on bringing this bill forward and for the other work he does in the customs area, particularly in relation to border compliance.

The provisions of the bill relating to giving protection from criminal responsibility to Customs officers handling narcotic goods in the course of duty is, I think, a very important one. I chair a committee that has just been very closely looking at amphetamines and other synthetic drugs, and the evidence received by that committee presents a very frightening indictment of drug trafficking throughout the world, and of course Australia is no exception to the scourge of drug trafficking. We need to ensure that our Customs officers, who do an absolutely mighty job, are given every resource possible to help them in the fight against the importation of narcotics.

Regrettably, we in Australia, as in many other cases around the world, are losing the fight. As much as we do not like to concede it, regrettably, as I say, each week there are more and more young people and not so young people becoming involved particularly in synthetic drugs. It is something that requires the absolute commitment of the authorities, and I know our Customs officers, our Federal Police and our Crime Commission do a fabulous job in helping wherever they can to address the importation and distribution of drugs in Australia. In this, of course, they are considerably helped by the state police forces, which are really at the front line of this, but it does require a massive effort. It gets massive resources from the federal government, and this provision in this bill, small though it is, will also assist in the ongoing fight against drug trafficking and drug importation into Australia.

In this sort of legislation, as Senator Murray mentioned, there is always some challenge between civil rights and the need for the enforcement authorities to have the powers to do what needs to be done. It is always going to be a difficult call; it is always a marginal call. I think in this instance the minister has the balance correct and, while some may say that there is interference with civil liberties, by and large the bill has the right balance between giving the powers that the officers need and the civil liberties that we all enjoy in this country.

In talking about a bill that deals with border compliance, I again indicate what a fantastic job our Customs officers do. Over the parliamentary break I have been overseas and, seeing the way our Customs officers operate and making comparison with Customs officers elsewhere in the world, we cannot help but be proud of and impressed by the work that the troops on the ground do. There are plenty of them, which is always pleasing to see to travellers entering Australia. They are very courteous and very efficient in the work they do. I suspect that those of us who travel overseas always appreciate Australian Customs officers, but perhaps we do not often enough indicate to them the admiration we have for the work they do. I wanted to take the opportunity this bill presented to put on record my appreciation of the work that those front-line troops do in protecting Australia’s borders.

On the same general area, I want to again congratulate the minister and his officers on the work they are doing in the area of border compliance, particularly the fight against illegal fishing in the north and north-west of our country. Every now and again you will hear the ALP—when they are in need of a cheap shot—making some comment with regard to this issue. Cheap shots from the ALP should always of course be judged against their record in office. I well recall that when the ALP were in government they paid very scant regard to the question of illegal fishing in the north. Illegal fishing was rife in the north back in the days of the Labor government, but there was little attention paid to it because the Labor government at that time did very little about it. In fact, it was a bit of a joke at the time. Illegal immigrants used to land in Darwin and get taxis into town to get their goods. Of course all that has stopped under this government, and the minister in particular has done a mighty job in the fight against illegal fishing in the north.

The Customs marine officers who man the Customs patrol boats are very efficient. They do a mighty job in difficult circumstances, and they deserve the full support of the parliament and the people of Australia. It is always very easy to criticise, as the ALP regularly do and as irresponsible newspapers like the West Australian and irresponsible reporters like Regina Titelius do—people and papers who really have little interest in Australia’s wellbeing. The reality is that these Customs marine officers, and the government generally, are doing a fantastic job in relation to the protection of our borders from all sorts of incursions, particularly the instance I mentioned of illegal fishing. It is an issue which will eventually be won. Enormous amounts of resources are being put into it.

Another great initiative is the one I euphemistically call the prison ship, which has just started work. It is an initiative that has been a long time in coming. I remember when Mr Wilson Tuckey was the minister and he first raised that issue. At that time he was laughed out of court; everyone told him he was crazy. But, at the time, Mr Tuckey thought it was a good idea, and of course events have shown that that idea was a good one. I am pleased to see that, after a long period of introduction, the measure is now in place. Good luck to those who will serve on it. I am sure and confident that that will make another positive difference in our fight against illegal fishing. I will not hold the Senate any longer. I think the bill is sensible. It does bring in some amendments that are needed, and they are being brought in in a timely fashion. I commend the bill to the Senate.