Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

Labor will be supporting the G20 (Safety and Security) Complementary Bill 2014. On 15 and 16 November this year Brisbane will play host to arguably the most significant world leaders' summit, the G20. G20 members account for two-thirds of the world's population, around 80 per cent of global trade and, most notably, 85 per cent of the world's economy. Geographically, all the world's populated regions will be represented. The event itself is expected to have around 3,000 media representatives and around 4,000 delegates attend. It will place Brisbane at the centre of the world's attention at that time. It is a significant event that has as been brought to Australia by the previous government, which I will speak about in a moment.

The G20 is the place to discuss global economic and financial matters. The objects of the G20 are threefold: to modernise international financial architecture, to promote financial regulations that reduce risks and prevent future financial crises, and policy coordination between its members in order to achieve global economic stability and sustainable growth. The bill itself clarifies the interaction between the Queensland government's G20 (Safety and Security) Act 2013 and the stand-alone bill proposed here. It was determined by the Queensland government that a separate act was needed because of the extra duties the Queensland Police Service would be facing. Those duties include: security for accommodation venues where meetings are being held, security for official parties and world leaders, motorcade routes and for other official events. That is on top of the everyday work the Queensland Police Service do in providing policing for the general public.

The extra powers granted under the Queensland act and this bill are similar to the ones granted to the APEC meeting in New South Wales in 2007 and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2011. This bill deals with any overlap powers regarding jurisdiction issues between state, federal and other authorised persons during the G20. This includes specified locations, such as Brisbane airport. But the important thing to note here is that these powers have a sunset clause built into the federal legislation proposed for the day after the conclusion of the conference.

It is worthy to note the achievements of the previous government in supporting and eventually playing host to this important event. When in government, former Prime Minister Rudd played a substantial role in making the G20 an internationally significant world event bringing together the major economies of the world. It was former Prime Minister Gillard, while at the G20 in Cannes in 2011, who secured the 2014 G20 Summit for Australia.

I note that in Queensland the state Labor opposition supported the Queensland government's bill. The federal opposition will also support the federal government's bill. We, as an opposition, understand the need for the G20 conference to be organised as safely and securely as possible. We want the focus of the G20 to be on the important financial reform tasks at hand. This bill will make sure that any issues between state and federal jurisdictions are resolved so that the G20 can run smoothly.