Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Hansard source

Consistent with what the Prime Minister advised the House of Representatives earlier, I can advise the Senate that the Director-General of Security and head of ASIO, Duncan Lewis, has advised the Prime Minister that, at this time, there is no evidence of planned violence in response to the government's announcement regarding the location of the Australian Embassy in Israel; that ASIO as a matter of routine provides advice to Commonwealth and state governments on security matters, as it should; and that the director-general has advised the Prime Minister that he has spoken with the Federal Police commissioner and will formally refer this matter to the AFP for investigation. The government does not comment on the contents of security advice and intelligence matters. On behalf of the Prime Minister, I want to repeat, and reassure Australians, that ASIO has no evidence at this time of any planned violence in response to the government's announcement on 16 October.