Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Can I indicate that I did not have an opportunity to make a second reading contribution, but I will just say in the briefest possible terms that I am broadly supportive of the legislation. I believe that this is the way to strike at the heart of organised crime. We have a very real issue with drug dealers in this country. We have a scourge, particularly in respect of crystal methamphetamine. There are reports that there could be a glut of heroin on the market, given what is happening in countries overseas.

However, in the context of being supportive of this legislation, I do want to ask the minister, in broad terms, how much money has been obtained through unexplained wealth legislation in the past? What does the government say will be the increase in funds being obtained as a result of the measures in this bill? Also, given the way that organised crime figures are always trying to find a way to circumvent legislation such as this, has the government anticipated that? It seems that organised criminals are always trying to find a way to get ahead of that.

In other words, does the legislation in its current form carry with it enough scope to look at associates of organised crime figures who are subject to these orders?

I do have some other questions, but perhaps I will now put those to the minister. Given that the Attorney has just entered the chamber, perhaps I could repeat them for his benefit. I can indicate my broad support for this legislation; this is the way to tackle organised crime. My questions are—and if some of these have to be taken on notice, to an extent, I would accept that, as long as I have an undertaking to get those details: through our current legislative regime, how much unexplained wealth has been seized over the past few years? What does the government say this legislation will do in terms of an increased seizure of assets in respect of that? Given this approach, which, in broad principle, I am very supportive of in this bill, has the government anticipated that organised criminal groups and individuals will find ways to get around this by perhaps siphoning money to associates so it is harder to trace? Will there be enough resources to anticipate these new changes by which criminal gangs will try to get ahead? I have some other questions, but I thought I would put those to the minister.