Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Ruston for her question. Senators will be aware that the drug ice is destroying families and hurting communities. It poses the highest risk of illicit drugs to our community, with ice use rates almost doubling in the last 12 months. It is a growing problem around Australia, but particularly in our rural and regional communities.

Tackling ice is a priority for the Abbott government. We are aware that those who seek to profit from the importation of ice and other illicit drugs continue to pose a problem for our front-line border personnel. The government understands that securing our borders means not just ending the profitability of people smuggling but also ensuring that criminal enterprises will not profit from the scourge of ice.

The government has been on the front foot in providing border agencies with the necessary powers to address drug imports into Australia. On 8 April this year, the Prime Minister announced the establishment of the National Ice Taskforce, led by Mr Ken Lay, to develop a strategy for combating the ice epidemic. Customs has a representative on this task force. Additionally, Customs has a strong and successful strategic partnership with the Australian Federal Police, using shared models for narcotics and precursor detections. Potentially indictable offences are subject to joint consideration for treatment options, which may include joint investigations leading to prosecution of those responsible for narcotics and precursor strategies and trafficking. In 2013-14 there were 1,379 detections of ice at the border, weighing approximately 1,435 kilos.

This government has brought the focus on border protection back to where it should be and that is, of course, at the centre of government priorities. Our Ice Taskforce is proof of that. (Time expired)