Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The speech read as follows—

G20 (SAFETY AND SECURITY) COMPLEMENTARY BILL 2014

The G20 (Safety and Security) Complementary Bill 2014 will contribute to the success of the G20 later this year.

It will do this by ensuring the powers that can be exercised by police and other authorised persons are clear and unambiguous. These powers are designed to provide for the safety and security of people and property at the Brisbane Airport during the Leaders' Summit in November are clear and unambiguous.

The G20 is an important global forum.

It brings together the leaders of the world's biggest economies to play a leadership role in addressing economic issues that matter to all countries, members and non-members alike.

Collectively, G20 member countries represent around 85 per cent of global GDP, over 75 per cent of global trade and two thirds of the world's population. Australia assumed the G20 Presidency in December last year. To be able to host the next round of G20 events this year is a great privilege.

These events will bring national leaders and a range of other influential international figures to our shores.

This presents an opportunity for Australia to demonstrate its leadership both regionally and globally on economic issues in a tough economic climate.

As Chair, the Prime Minister has structured this year's events around the key themes of:

Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors had a successful meeting in February and will meet again in September.

Trade Ministers will meet in July and Employment Ministers will meet in September.

These meetings will culminate in the Leaders' Summit in Brisbane in November which will build on the work of earlier meetings.

The Prime Minister has labelled the Leaders' Summit the most important meeting of world leaders Australia has ever hosted.

It is easy to see why.

But along with this important opportunity comes great responsibility.

Appropriate security arrangements and effective collaboration between law enforcement and other agencies will be paramount to ensuring these G20 events proceed smoothly.

I am confident our nation's first-rate law enforcement and security agencies possess the personnel, organisational capacity, skills and experience to meet this challenge.

It is our responsibility to ensure that the appropriate settings are in place for our agencies to do their job.

Queensland has enacted legislation to give police and other authorised persons the powers they will need to ensure the safety of our high profile guests and the public during the G20.

Specifically, the Queensland G20 (Safety and Security) Act will ensure police have the powers they need to:

The Queensland legislation also provides for 'security areas' in which closer security arrangements can be implemented.

This Bill is necessary to ensure the powers conferred by the Queensland legislation can be exercised within the Brisbane Airport during the Leaders' Summit.

It will do this by clarifying the relationship between the Queensland legislation and existing Commonwealth aviation and airports legislation at the Brisbane Airport for the purposes of the G20 Summit.

Importantly, it will address any unintended overlap between Commonwealth aviation and airports legislation and Queensland legislation to ensure the safety of this event is not affected by any ambiguity.

The Bill will sunset the day after the Leaders' Summit ends. This will avoid the need to repeal the legislation after it has ceased to be necessary.

Debate adjourned.