Alan Ferguson (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator Ellison. I understand that earlier today the minister addressed the 15th annual Australian Bomb Data Centre conference. Will the minister inform senators of the important work being done by the Australian Bomb Data Centre and the work being done in our region by Australian bomb data expects?

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

I think it is important that the Senate and the wider community know about the great work being done by the Australian Bomb Data Centre. The men and women of the Australian Federal Police who work there in conjunction with those from Defence and other authorities across the states and territories do a very important job in protecting Australia’s security. What is more, they work with other countries in the region to establish relevant centres in countries like Malaysia and the Philippines. I do not think many Australians would realise that the Bomb Data Centre experts have worked in places such as Sri Lanka, Indonesia, South Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia in relation to bombings which have been carried out by terrorists in those countries. Of course the most prominent bombings have been in Indonesia, where Australian lives were taken.

Today I want to recognise the great work that is being done, but I also want to note the international cooperation that we get. We have delegates here attending from around the world who have brought with them technology and expertise to exchange with our Australian experts. I saw firsthand the sort of technology being used to implement preventative measures—the sorts of preventative measures used at our Australian embassy in Jakarta which many attribute to helping limit the number who lost their lives during the bombing there.

The Australian Bomb Data Centre is a 24-hour service. It is available for response and advice from Australian authorities, and it has expertise which relates to explosive devices. What was also shown to me today was how explosive devices can be used to host such things as chemical weapons, biological weapons and radioactive weapons. The technology being devised in relation to that is very important when you look at decontaminating a bomb which could have chemical components in it.

We have involved ourselves in an international bomb data centre working group, which has some 50 member countries, as I understand it. The United States has set up an international website dealing with the exchange of technology. It was impressed upon me that we need not only the expertise of the men and women involved in the centre but also access to the latest technology being used around the world. We need the sharing of intelligence to demonstrate the sorts of methods being employed by terrorists and organised criminals. We have to remember that in Australia we have seen the use of remote control devices to commit murder. In fact, in my home state of Western Australia two men were murdered by the use of an improvised device which was exploded by remote control. I think the work that is being done crosses the whole spectrum of law enforcement, whether it is fighting organised crime or terrorism.

This work being done by the Bomb Data Centre goes largely unnoticed. I think it is important that the Senate and the wider community be made aware of their work. These people carry out very dangerous work, especially in the deactivating of explosive devices. Their work is, unfortunately, essential and very necessary, and will be so for some time. I think we should all realise the great work being done in this area for the protection of Australia’s interest.