Kristina Keneally (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

If I'm understanding the government correctly, they can't actually answer the questions that we're putting about why someone like Captain Salas—who is just one of many examples—has been able to access Australian maritime ports. They can't tell us how many foreign crew actually have their passports checked, are actually assessed by metal detectors and are actually subject to drug detector dogs. They can't really explain why it takes just 24 to 48 hours to get a maritime crew visa but some three months to get an MSIC for an Australian worker. Let me be clear again: Labor is all about supporting tougher border security controls. We maintain our concern, and I am disappointed that the government are indicating that they're not willing to take the opportunity either to provide their own solution to foreign crew problems, first identified by the former Department of Immigration and Border Protection, or to accept our amendment. So our position remains that, while this bill seeks to make some improvements, it doesn't go far enough. It is not tough enough. It does not take the appropriate security measures that are necessary at our maritime ports.

While the revelations on 60 Minutes from the head of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, Mike Phelan, about the facilitation and importation of drugs into the country are quite concerning, they do go to show that the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission has made significant strides when it comes to airports, and we congratulate them and the AFP. What we are concerned about is that there has yet to be any action on the evidence provided by the department in terms of the risks posed by flag-of-convenience vessels. So I have to express my extreme disappointment that the government is leaving this gaping hole in our border security, and I flag that we in the Australian Labor Party continue to take this seriously. We will continue to look at other ways to address the gaping hole that the government seems intent on leaving in its legislation. I know that Senator Sheldon has some additional questions. I'm going to ask him, rather than ask another question myself. If we have some time before we move out of this amendment, I may come back to some additional questions.