Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. Can the Attorney-General update the Senate on the counterterrorism operation that occurred in Sydney yesterday?

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

Thank you, Senator Duniam, for asking a serious question. This morning, the New South Wales Joint Counter Terrorism Team charged two juveniles with terror-related offences, being: acts done in preparation for, or planning, terrorist acts, under section 101.6 of the Commonwealth Criminal Code, an offence which attracts a penalty of life imprisonment; and membership of a terrorist organisation, under section 102.3 of the Criminal Code, an offence which attracts a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment.

The juveniles, both aged 16 years, were arrested yesterday, by the New South Wales police, in possession of two bayonet-type knives. This successful disruption is the result of the highly effective coordination of the New South Wales Joint Counter Terrorism Team, which includes the New South Wales police, the Australian Federal Police and ASIO. Australia's law enforcement and security agencies are among the best in the world, and, on behalf of the government, I commend those officers for disrupting, quickly and safely, what is alleged to have been plans for an imminent terrorist attack.

I can further advise there is no ongoing threat to the community in relation to this particular incident. Nevertheless, the national terrorism threat level remains at 'probable', as it has been since, under the old scheme, it was elevated to 'high' on 12 September 2014. That means that a terrorism event is assessed to be likely. We have experienced four terror-related attacks in Australia since the national terrorism threat level was raised in September 2014. This is now the 11th planned attack disrupted by our law enforcement and security agencies in that time.

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

Senator Duniam, a supplementary question.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Attorney for the answer. Can the Attorney-General provide further information about the current threat environment?

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

Sadly, Senator Duniam, this disruption continues to highlight the disturbing trend of increasingly young Australians subscribing to violent terrorist ideologies, and it underscores the need for us to remain vigilant against the ongoing threat of radicalisation in our communities.

Since 12 September 2014 when, as I have said, the national threat level was raised, 51 people have been charged as a result of 21 counterterrorism operations around Australia. There remain around 110 Australians currently fighting or engaged with terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq and around 200 people in Australia being investigated for providing support to individuals or groups in the Syria-Iraq conflict, including through funding and facilitation or for seeking to travel to the conflict zone.

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

Senator Duniam, a final supplementary question.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What is the government doing to prevent such acts occurring and to keep Australia safe?

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

Senator Duniam, as you know, the government is committed to doing everything it can to tackle the threat posed by terrorism and those who support it. Since August 2014, the government has invested an additional $1.3 billion to support Australia's efforts in combating terrorism and has engaged in a program of significant counterterrorism law reform designed to give our law enforcement and security agencies the tools they need to disrupt and combat terrorism.

The Criminal Code Amendment (High Risk Terrorist Offenders) Bill 2016 and the counterterrorism legislation amendment bill, both of which I introduced during this sitting of the parliament, continue the government's significant record on enacting a range of effective counterterrorism laws that will strike the right balance between the safety of our communities and the individual freedoms so integral to our society.