Minister media release

Strengthening Australia's National Security Capacity - 11 May 2010

Joint Media Release with the;

Attorney-General
Hon Robert McClelland MP

Minister for Foreign Affairs
Hon Stephen Smith MP

Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
Senator Hon Chris Evans

The Rudd Government will invest over $500 million to further strengthen Australia’s national security capacity.

Ensuring national security is the highest responsibility of any government.

This $500 million investment is a key part of the first ever coordinated national security budget which invests a total of $4.3 billion in national security, border protection, aviation security and supporting the Australian Defence Force.

Identity Security

The Rudd Government will strengthen Australia’s identity security by investing:

$100.8 million in additional funding over six years for a new passport issuing system, which will enhance the security of Australia’s passports;
$23.6 million in ongoing funding to prevent identity theft through the Government Document Verification Scheme; and
$5.9 million in ongoing funding to detect identity fraud through Australia’s Fraudulent Travel Document Detection System.

Intelligence Gathering and Information Integrity

The Rudd Government will strengthen Australia’s intelligence gathering and information integrity by investing:

$101.6 million in ongoing funding for telecommunications interception work conducted by national security and law enforcement agencies;
$24 million in additional funding for new analytical technologies to improve the real time ability of the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) to target serious and organised crime, tax evasion and financial fraud;
$14.5 million in additional funding to establish a Criminal Intelligence Fusion Centre within the Australian Crime Commission, to better detect and prevent organised crime, including operations set up to facilitate people smuggling in the region; and
$1.8m in additional funding to enhance the Australian Secret Intelligence Service’s intelligence gathering capability, in addition to $8.3 million already in the forward estimates.

Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism

The Rudd Government will counter terrorism and violent extremism by investing:

$9.1 million to establish a Counter Terrorism Control Centre. This funding will be absorbed within the Attorney-General’s portfolio; and
$9.7 million in additional funding to counter violent extremism and the threat of home grown terrorism in the Australian community.
National Security Infrastructure and Capacity Building
The Rudd Government will boost national security infrastructure and capacity building by investing:

$23.5 million in additional funding to deliver on the Government’s commitment to provide 500 new Australian Federal Police officers, in addition to $191.9 million provided in the 2008-09 Budget;
up to $17.3 million for the establishment of the National Security College at the Australian National University in Canberra;
$35.5 million to upgrade the Cocos (Keeling) Islands runway;
$21.3 million additional funding for security upgrades at Parliament House; and
$1.7 million in 2010-11 to continue the National Emergency Call Centre Surge Capacity.

Promoting Security in the Asia-Pacific

The Government is also providing funding of over $118 million to promote security initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region, including:

$80.5 million additional funding for the AFP’s Police Development Program in Timor-Leste, Tonga and Vanuatu;
$16.8 million additional funding to support the Australian Federal Police commitment to the United Nations Mission in Timor-Leste; and
$21.2 million ongoing funding for counter-terrorism liaison and capacity building in the Asia‑Pacific region.
These measures form part of the Government’s commitment to building a more secure Australia through supporting our security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies as well as promoting an international environment that is stable, peaceful and prosperous.

The measures announced in this Budget build on the $685 million national security package in the 2009 Budget.

Media Contact:
Adam Siddique (Mr McClelland’s office) 0407 473 630
Courtney Hoogen (Mr Smith’s office) 0488 244 901
Karen Brown (Senator Evans’ office) 0413 080 956
Kylie Skotnicki (Mr O’Connor’s office) 0402 298 728