James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Cyber Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs, Senator Watt. From 28 October 2023 the ACT will decriminalise the possession of small amounts of the most commonly used illicit drugs. This comes after the ACT health minister reportedly boasted to a roomful of activists at Labor's national conference about how Canberra's Labor-Greens government was able to quietly but quickly decriminalise illicit drugs. Does the federal government support their ACT Labor government colleagues' plan to decriminalise hard drugs, including methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks, Senator Paterson. Clearly the question you're asking is a question for the ACT, over which the federal government has no responsibility. I don't know why we're using the federal parliament to ask questions about a territory government and its decisions. Senator Paterson, I know it's been a while since you've been able to ask a question in your portfolio, but I would have thought there were other issues that are clearly within the province of the federal government in home affairs that would be something that we clearly have responsibility for. So, it's a little odd that the only question we're receiving in the home affairs area is on something that is the decision of the territory government.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Paterson?

James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Cyber Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On direct relevance: two agencies in the Home Affairs portfolio—the Australian Border Force and the Australian Federal Police—have publicly commented about their concerns about this development.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Watt, please continue.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I said, this is a decision that's been made by the ACT government. I know Senator Canavan wanted to have a Senate inquiry and a private senator's bill about another decision that was made by the territory government. What we're focusing on are matters that are decisions of the federal government, including, in the Home Affairs portfolio, strengthening our national security. That's what we're focused on, rather than the decisions that territory governments make.

Of course the AFP are entitled to their view. But, as I said, our focus, when it comes to the Home Affairs portfolio, is ensuring that our national security is strong, ensuring that we fix up the complete mess around cybersecurity that was left by the former government. They're the issues that we're really focused on in the Home Affairs portfolio. I know Minister O'Neil has also been working closely with Minister Giles, the immigration minister, about the migration review—another issue that was a complete mess when the former government lost office. We've been tackling the backlog of visa applications, which was up to a million when we took office. They're the issues that we've been very focused on in the Home Affairs portfolio.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Patterson, a first supplementary?

James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Cyber Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Perhaps the minister is getting the answer now from his colleague. What is the government's plan to ensure that this loophole isn't exploited by organised crime groups operating across Australia after the Australian Federal Police warned that changes will lure recreational drug users into Canberra and spark an increase in drug related deaths? What impact will these laws have on other jurisdictions—for example, New South Wales?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Paterson. Of course, it is important to recognise that the changes that the ACT have made have been in relation to small quantities of these substances for personal consumption.

Senator Cash, are you calling someone a disgrace? You're calling someone a disgrace?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Watt, resume your seat. Senator Cash, I request that you withdraw that comment.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Cash. I would ask that you listen in silence. Minister Watt, please continue.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But the point remains, Senator Paterson, that the issues you're asking questions about relate to decisions that were made by the ACT government. They would be entirely appropriate questions to put to the ACT government. I know the Liberal Party does have a handful of members in the ACT assembly, and they would be questions best put to the ACT government.

We of course take advice from our agencies about these matters, but we've got enough to do cleaning up the backlog of visa applications, cleaning up the mess of a migration system and cleaning up the mess of a cybersecurity system that were all left to us by your government in the Home Affairs portfolio. That's our key focus.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Paterson, a second supplementary?

James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Cyber Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's interesting that the minister doesn't think the illegal importation of hard drugs internationally is a matter for the federal government. A spokesman for the Minister for Home Affairs said in response to this issue, 'State and territory laws are a matter for those states and territories.' Is the government abrogating its responsibility for combating illicit drugs impacting our communities?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, that is just absurd. Of course we are not abrogating our responsibilities. Our responsibility, as the federal government, does relate to the importation of these drugs from overseas, and we are resourcing the Australia Border Force and other agencies to do that. That is of course not what the focus of the ACT legislation is about. To argue that laws made by a territory government relating to the personal consumption of drugs are the same as organised crime importing large substances of drugs from overseas—to argue that they're the same thing—is complete nonsense. So, as I said, we'll keep focusing on fixing the various messes you left behind for us in the Home Affairs portfolio, and we'll leave it to the ACT government to do their bit.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.