Jim Molan (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Cash. In light of the Director-General of Security's annual threat assessment speech yesterday, can you please update the Senate on how our security environment has changed in recent times?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Molan for his question and, of course, acknowledge his great service to Australia in ensuring that Australians are kept safe. As we know, the coalition government's first priority is the security of the nation and its people—keeping Australians safe from those who seek to do us harm.

ASIO and our law enforcement agencies are alive to the threats that our nation faces, and they work tirelessly to both detect and deter those threats on a daily basis. The national security environment in Australia is a dynamic one, and it's an ever-evolving one. That is why the government continually reviews the legislation and the capabilities that our agencies need to detect, intercept and respond to the emerging security needs.

We've seen online radicalisation continue to evolve and become a greater security threat to Australia and to our way of life. The director-general addressed this in his speech last night. We know that, as a result of COVID-19, this threat has continued to increase. However, we also know that, as Australians, this is not the only threat that we are currently facing.

We know that the pervasive threat of foreign interference is rapidly growing in both scale and proportion. As the director-general stated last night, foreign interference has become a 'principal security concern' for Australia. This is not to 'downplay the significance' of the threat of terrorism, but foreign interference is 'demanding more attention and resources'. That is why the Morrison-Joyce government always ensures that our national security legislation is strengthened and up to date. We've passed 27 tranches of national security legislation since 2014.

Slade Brockman (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Molan, a supplementary question?

Jim Molan (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How is the Liberal and National government working together to strengthen our national security and combat the threat of violent extremism?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Australia's countering violent extremism framework aims to prevent people from radicalising to violent extremism, whether religiously or ideologically motivated, by delivering nationally consistent approaches to managing at-risk individuals, including those in the justice system.

Just this month, the Morrison-Joyce government announced an additional $61.7 million over four years to further strengthen the countering violent extremism efforts. This funding includes $24.5 million to expand the CVE deradicalisation activities; $4.7 million to build on and extend efforts to combat terrorist propaganda online by identifying extremist material for removal; and $10.7 million to a new CVE grants program that will increase awareness and build community resilience to violent extremism.

Slade Brockman (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Molan, a second supplementary question?

Jim Molan (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Beyond what our agencies report in their threat assessments, are there any other risks you are aware of when considering Australia's national security?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We're at that time of the year when we're moving towards an election. The Australian people really do need to consider what is important to them in their federal government. What they know from the Morrison-Joyce government is that we will never compromise on national security. We will never make apologies for keeping Australians safe. We will never make apologies for putting in place tough measures to ensure that the lifestyle that we have in Australia is protected.

Australians need to ask themselves: given what happened under the former Rudd-Gillard Labor government, what would happen if Mr Albanese and Labor were elected to office? After 25 years in the parliament, Mr Albanese has never held a national security portfolio—

Slade Brockman (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister—

Opposition senators interjecting—

Order on my left!