Andrew McLachlan (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs. Will the minister update the House on how the Morrison government is working to keep Australians safe from the threat of terrorism and violent extremist ideologies?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator McLachlan for the question. Mr President, as you'd be aware, a fundamental priority of the Morrison government is to keep Australia and Australians safe. Despite the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the reality is that the threat of terrorism has, unfortunately, not subsided. The Morrison government has, however, invested records amounts of funding in our law enforcement agencies. There is the investment we're making into, for example, ASIO, AUSTRAC and other agencies within the Department of Home Affairs. It is directed at keeping Australians safe.

We know that during COVID-19 many terrorist organisations have sought to exploit the increased time that Australians have spent at home and online. Targeting young and impressionable minds, they have shamelessly exploited the situation to propagate information, ideologies and dangerous and destructive views that seek to do real harm to Australians not only in our country but across the Western world. What we have unfortunately seen in Paris and the United States and across Asia and the Middle East are the sorts of atrocities that these people would seek to perpetrate in Australia and on Australian soil against innocent men, women and children.

As a government we need to deal with the threat of terrorism whenever it may eventuate. Since September 2014, we have had 117 people charged as a result of counterterrorism operations, and there are 22 people currently before the courts for terrorism related offences. These are people who would seek to do significant harm to Australia and Australians, but the Morrison government is working night and day to make sure they are not successful.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McLachlan, a supplementary question?

Andrew McLachlan (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How is the Morrison government investing to keep Australians safe online and protect Australia from increasing cybersecurity threats?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Australia's cybersecurity capabilities are strong but, as we'd all be aware, the threats we face online are increasing. It is estimated that a significant cyberattack impacting Australia for four weeks could cost the economy as much as $30 billion and an estimated 163,000 jobs. As part of our 2020-21 budget, the government will provide an additional $202 million to deliver the 2020 Cyber Security Strategy, creating a more-secure online world for all Australians. This now takes the government's total funding for the strategy to $1.7 billion to provide a cybersecurity uplift that is fit for purpose in the evolving online environment. This strategy will protect Australians, their businesses and, of course, the essential services that we all depend upon.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McLachlan, a final supplementary question?

Andrew McLachlan (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As Australians begin to travel again over the Christmas period, what will the Morrison government be doing to ensure that they can enjoy their holidays and reunite with their families safely and securely.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Since the Morrison government was elected to office we have passed 20 tranches of national security legislation. This legislation has ensured that Australia has the most-modern and most-up-to-date laws that deal with the reality of encryption and the ways in which terrorist groups conceal their influencing activities on the internet. This is supporting our law enforcement agencies to detect and disrupt threats as soon as possible for the safety of all Australians. All Australians should be reassured that over the Christmas period and over the new year period our officers will be working 24/7 on the front line, and there are of course many people in the Department of Home Affairs who will be supporting them in that work. On behalf of the government senators, I would like to commend those officers for the work they do to keep Australia and Australians safe.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on notice.