The Commonwealth Government is strengthening Australia’s counter-terrorism arrangements.
The Minister for Justice, The Hon Michael Keenan MP, will take on a new role as Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Counter-Terrorism.
In addition to his existing ministerial responsibilities, Minister Keenan will be responsible for leading the Government’s efforts in countering violent extremism and will support the Prime Minister and the Attorney-General in ensuring close and effective coordination of the Government’s counter-terrorism efforts.
In his new role, Minister Keenan will ensure the Government’s extensive security and non-security efforts to combat home-grown terrorism are well coordinated and effective.
That includes our operational and policy responses, as well as our efforts to work with communities to counter violent extremism and address this scourge.
Minister Keenan will also lead Commonwealth engagement with the States and Territories, which play a critical part in community engagement and in countering terrorism.
The Attorney-General will continue to be responsible for the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. As part of these new arrangements, Minister Keenan will be assisted by Mr Greg Moriarty in the new position of Commonwealth Counter-Terrorism Coordinator – leading a new counter-terrorism coordination office within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
As a former Ambassador to Iran and Indonesia, Mr Moriarty has significant expertise on the Middle East and South East Asia and extensive experience coordinating inter-agency and international collaboration.
The comprehensive Counter-Terrorism Review released earlier this year recommended strengthening our counter-terrorism strategy and improving cooperation with at-risk communities, in close partnership with the States and Territories.
We need to bring the same drive, focus and clarity of purpose to countering terrorism that resulted in stopping the boats under Operation Sovereign Borders.
Over the past month, two terrorist attacks have been disrupted in Melbourne. Since last September, when the national threat level was raised to High, we have seen a total of six disrupted attacks and two actual attacks.
Terrorist attack planning is becoming more frequent, warning times are reducing, and the perpetrators are becoming younger.
At least 100 Australians are involved with terrorist organisations in Syria and Iraq, and around a further 160 sympathisers are directly supporting them in Australia.
The Commonwealth Government has boosted counter-terrorism funding for our agencies by $1.33 billion, including over $600 million in the recent budget.
We are investing more than $40 million in programmes to counter violent extremism, particularly online, in addition to $545 million for settlement services and social cohesion.
We have also passed four tranches of legislation to strengthen the ability of our agencies to investigate, monitor, arrest and prosecute home-grown violent extremists and returning foreign fighters.
The counter-terrorism arrangements announced today underline the Commonwealth Government’s commitment to a safe and secure Australia.
25 May 2015