Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. I refer to ASIO's confirmation that the information on display during yesterday's photo opportunity at ASIO headquarters was for official use only and that ASIO requested that it not be published. Can the minister confirm that intelligence material was on display during yesterday's photo opportunity; and can he explain why he and the Prime Minister staged this event at the expense of Australia's national security?

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

If I may say so, Senator Conroy, even by your standards that is an extraordinarily foolish question. I attended, along with the Prime Minister, the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection and the Minister for Justice, a briefing at ASIO headquarters yesterday. We attended as guests of ASIO and were hosted by the Director-General of Security, Duncan Lewis.

In relation to the reports, I have seen in this morning's media and on the television last night that maps were displayed. They were—I was there, as you may have seen from the television pictures. I can do no better than to acquaint you with what the Director-General of Security has said about the matter today. This is what General Lewis has said:

There has been reporting in some quarters of the media regarding the sensitivity of documents used in briefing the Prime Minister yesterday. The Director-General of Security confirms the documents used in the briefing were not the subject of a national security classification. The documents were carefully edited and were unclassified. The content of the documents did not compromise national security.

Those are not my words; they are the words of the Director-General, General Lewis.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister confirm that he and all other representatives of the government, including staff, complied with ASIO's security requirements and surrendered all electronic and telecommunication devices, just like we do when we go over there for the committee, prior to entering the sensitive areas? Can he confirm that all staff and representatives complied?

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

I can confirm that I did and I can confirm that the Prime Minister did, because I was in company with the Prime Minister when we surrendered our mobile phones. I know, because I was present, that that request was made of all present and I have no reason to believe that it was not complied with.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Will the minister take it on notice to find out about the rest? No, he will not even take it on notice.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Brandis, you do not have to respond to that part of the question. Senator Conroy, do you have a question?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the minister concede that his and the Prime Minister's use of ASIO headquarters as a media prop led to a potential breach of national security and politicised the work of ASIO? This is on top of leaking ASIS material last week and on top of politicising the use of Defence bases. Is there nothing this government will not stoop to?

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

Senator Conroy, every assertion you have made in that question is false—every single assertion. I attended the briefing at the invitation of ASIO, who hosted the briefing. There was a media opportunity at the start of the briefing. The media were then excluded from the room and a detailed briefing, which touched on very sensitive national security information, was then conducted. I have read to you what the Director-General of Security himself has said. Let me read it again:

… The documents were carefully edited and were unclassified. The content of the documents did not compromise national security.