Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Justice and Customs. Can the minister confirm the accuracy of the New South Wales Liberal Party leader’s claim that up to 20 Russian-made rocket propelled grenade launchers have entered the country and have been offered for sale on the black market? Is the minister concerned that border protection is so weak that a truckload of grenade launchers can get through? Are these the very same weapons that insurgents are using against allied troops in the war in Iraq? When did the minister first become aware of his failure to protect our borders from a truckload of missiles that are now in the hands of criminals and possibly terrorists, and what has he done to ensure that action is taken against the importers?

Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Premier of New South Wales needs to exercise some caution in what he says in relation to this very important investigation. I refer him to comments made by the Assistant Police Commissioner of New South Wales, Nick Kaldas, who is reported as having said:

We need to go through the investigation before we can actually say definitively whether the stuff is here or not.

What the Assistant Commissioner was saying—

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is Debnam.

Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am referring to the remarks made by Premier Iemma, who said that this involved a breach of the borders of Australia, as did the state police minister, John Watkins. Any reference to this investigation at all, no matter who says it, is premature. I refer everybody to the comments made by the Assistant Police Commissioner of New South Wales, Nick Kaldas, who said:

We need to go through the investigation before we can actually say definitively whether the stuff is here or not.

He went on to say that no effort was being spared in the investigation of this. The Australian Federal Police are investigating this matter with the New South Wales Police. I think it is very premature to comment on the origin of any of these articles and their location. It is a serious investigation. I am not going to comment on it any further. The New South Wales Police and the Australian Federal Police are not commenting, other than to say that this is a very serious issue, to which they are devoting all resources to investigating.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. The Sydney Morning Herald reported yesterday that:

The Opposition Leader, Peter Debnam, said yesterday he learned “from the streets of Sydney” that the Russian-made weapons were for sale at $10,000 each.

Did Mr Debnam ever discuss or report this federal crime directly to the minister and, if so, when? Did Mr Debnam ever report this federal crime of prohibited importation directly to Customs, the AFP or the terrorist hotline? Given the potential danger that these weapons now pose to Australians, what responsibility will the minister take—and the New South Wales opposition leader—for his personal failure to secure our borders?

Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I am saying is that I do not accept that this necessarily involves a breach of Australia’s borders. Again, I refer people to the comments made by the Assistant Commissioner. We ought to exercise caution in relation to commenting on a very important investigation. I understand that Mr Debnam did raise the matter with the state government. That was not an inappropriate course of action. It is a state investigation coupled with a federal investigation. I am certainly not going to comment any further on this matter. It would be entirely inappropriate to do so. Let the New South Wales Police and the Australian Federal Police get on with the job of investigating what is a very serious issue.