Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Government Services) Share this | Hansard source

As I've said, I can't confirm any more than I currently have, but I am absolutely confident that between the Victoria Police and the ABF they will be conducting all necessary inquiries into that matter. Again, that matter, while important—and it's important for ABF and law enforcement to deal with—is detracting very effectively, I would argue, from Labor's calls to split the aviation and maritime sections of the bill. Can I just remind all in this chamber that serious crime is a major threat to the Australian way of life and it causes enormous human suffering.

In relation to your call to split the aviation and maritime sections of this bill, of the 227 ASIC and MSIC holders 73 per cent are in the maritime sector, and, by Labor seeking to split the bill, the vast majority of card holders the ACIC has serious concerns over—that is, those with a history of serious and organised crime—will continue to have unsupervised access to maritime secure areas. It should be of great concern to all Australians that it is the Labor Party who are seeking to have them exempted by the application of their amendments, and I think that is absolutely outrageous. Kilograms of illicit goods enter Australia through airports but tonnes enter through containers through our seaports. We have to close off all entry points to trusted insiders and serious criminals, not just those in the aviation sector. Otherwise, organised criminals will continue to exploit Australia's ports. There will be only one party to blame for that, and that is the Labor Party, which is seeking to split this bill and water down the impact of this legislation.

Senator Keneally, if you really support this legislation—through you, Mr Temporary Chair—Labor will stop filibustering, you will stop playing games with this bill and you will pass the bill so that we can get on and actually make our airports and our seaports more secure.