Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Abetz for the additional question. Every decision we as a government make in this area of policy is to ensure that we equip our law enforcement, intelligence and security agencies with the necessary tools that they need to keep Australia and Australians safe. Since first elected in 2013, our government has now passed 22 different pieces of national security legislation—legislation that is crucial in helping the relevant agencies investigate, monitor, arrest and prosecute extremists.

Our National Anti-Gangs Squad led to the arrest of 1,330 offenders and the seizure of over 6,000 illicit firearms and firearm parts and over 2.5 tonnes of illicit drugs and precursors. That was at December 2020. Operation Ironside has built on this, with 224 alleged offenders charged and over 100 weapons confiscated. (Time expired)