David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. Can the Attorney-General inform the Senate how the budget builds a stronger and more secure Australia?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As you know, Senator Fawcett, keeping Australians safe and secure is the highest responsibility of government, and that is reflected in the budget priorities. The Abbott government has boosted counter-terrorism funding for our law enforcement, intelligence and security agencies by some $1.1 billion. That includes an additional $450 million in last night's budget to strengthen intelligence capabilities and to counter extremist messaging. Within that $450 million is: $296 million to strengthen the capabilities of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, including updating its IT systems; $22 million to counter terrorism propaganda online; and $131 million to assist telecommunications providers to upgrade their system so they can retain metadata for two years.

I might mention that Senator Wright, in a question she directed to Senator Abetz yesterday, asserted that all of the spend has been on the agencies. That is not true at all. As well as the $1.1 billion invested in the agencies, we have expended an additional $545 million over four years to support social cohesion and community based programs. The government is also providing a further $750 million in this budget to extend Australia's military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Middle East. That includes $382 million for the ADF operations to disrupt and degrade ISIL, or Daesh, in Iraq, combating violent extremism at its source as part of the international coalition.

David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the Attorney-General inform the Senate why the budget's emphasis on national security and counter-terrorism capabilities specifically is so important?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As you would be aware, on September last year the terrorism threat level was raised to high for the first time and has since stayed there, regrettably, since the environment has, if anything, become more dangerous. Since September last year, 23 people have been charged as a result of eight counter-terrorism operations on the Australian mainland. The number of Australian foreign fighters engaged in Syria and northern Iraq has increased during that time. We assess that there are now more than 100 Australians participating in that conflict, most of them with ISIL, and close to 160 individuals in Australia actively providing support to terrorist organisations and to individuals involved in the conflict. As well, as you know, Senator Fawcett, there is the alarming trend towards lone wolf terrorist actors.

David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a final supplementary question. Can the Attorney-General inform the Senate how the budget will combat terrorism propaganda in Australia?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, I can, Senator Fawcett. As you would know, one of the most dangerous dimensions to this problem is the activity of ISIL online. Indeed, it is an alarming fact that, every day, ISIL creates upwards of 100,000 pieces of online propaganda on Twitter alone. Online radicalisation is one of the most difficult dimensions to this problem and, therefore, the government has tripled investment in programs countering violent extremism to more than $40 million over four years. As well, the government's Combating Terrorist Propaganda in Australia initiative will invest almost $22 million over four years to challenge extremist narratives and reduce the support that terrorist groups can garner through the internet. This new initiative announced last night will establish a social media monitoring and analysis capability to help reduce access to extremist material online.