George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

It is very, very important that Australia maintains this commitment. Honourable senators will have seen reports of the brutal murder of the American journalist Steven Sotloff overnight at the hands of an ISIL militant. But our concerns run deeper than the shocking murder of one individual. We condemn in the strongest possible terms the actions of ISIL and its atrocities against all of the men, women and children who have fallen victim to it. We will continue to work with our partners and to contribute to international efforts. But this problem does not exist only on the other side of the world. The government is deeply concerned about the involvement of Australians in terrorist organisations. That is why we have committed an additional $630 million to ensure that our national security agencies have the tools they need to protect Australia and our interests. In closing, may I thank the opposition for its bipartisan support on this issue.