I am pleased to announce today the provision of a three-year, $5 million package of counter-terrorism assistance to the Philippines Government. The package will provide practical assistance in the following areas:
policing: training through the Australian Federal Police for forensic and crime scene investigation;
immigration: provision of document fraud laboratory facilities and a specialised document fraud computer package and training;
port security: development of port security plans to meet international obligations and help with implementation of a number of these plans, including in the southern Philippines; and
regional cooperation: support for the development of links between law enforcement and border control officials in the southern Philippines and their counterparts in the neighbouring region.
This assistance reflects Australia';s commitment to working closely with the Philippines to combat terrorism, and the priority we attach to cooperation to strengthen the region';s counter-terrorism capacity.
The package builds on the bilateral counter-terrorism memorandum of understanding signed in March 2003 and assistance provided by the Australian Federal Police to their Philippine counterparts following the Davao terrorist bombings earlier this year. It will also complement existing bilateral counter-terrorism cooperation undertaken by defence and intelligence agencies.