Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC) Share this | Hansard source

I am aiming for a trifecta here. I indicate that the opposition is supporting Senator Leyonhjelm's amendments. These amendments are consistent with the intention of Labor's amendments, which are designed to ensure that the MSIC and the ASIC regimes remain focused on preventing people who would seek to do us harm from gaining access to those areas within our ports and airports. While Labor accepts that serious criminality should also now be targeted, specifically the importation and distribution of illegal drugs and firearms, the government must ensure that this additional purpose does not lead to a loss of focus on transport security in this post-9-11 environment.

In addition, we must ensure that the vetting system does not allow guilt by association. After all, for many people, having an ASIC or MSIC can mean the difference between having a job and not having one. Accordingly, individuals should be held accountable for their own personal conduct, not that of others. For this reason, Labor will be supporting these amendments.