Law and Justice Overview
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Joint Media Release
8 May 2007
Attorney-General
The Hon Philip Ruddock MP
Minister for Justice and Customs
Senator the Hon David Johnston
The Australian Government has demonstrated its commitment to a just and secure society with the provision of $1.1 billion in additional funding over five years for a range of initiatives including national security, law enforcement and family law.
This year’s Budget provides $35.7 million to fund national security and counter-terrorism measures including the implementation of control orders and the protection of national security information.
$12.4 million will be provided to fight piracy and counterfeiting, especially where organised crime or transnational criminal elements are involved. Part of this package will provide funding to recover the proceeds of intellectual property crime, and enable more prosecutions.
Australia’s border protection capabilities will be strengthened by $151.4 million over four years to provide long-term, purpose-built accommodation for aviation policing and security teams based at Australia’s 11 major airports.
Nearly $80 million will be provided over four years to develop, implement and operate the new Australian Maritime Identification System (AMIS), which will allow the detection and identification of all vessels entering or operating in Australia’s offshore maritime areas. Funding will be provided to purchase a vessel dedicated to the protection of the environmentally sensitive Ashmore Reef, as well as further funding to enable Customs to identify international travellers who may be of interest to security and intelligence agencies.
The Australian Government’s commitment to working alongside foreign law enforcement agencies will continue. The Australian Federal Police’s Transnational Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking Team will receive $9.1 million over four years to combat the trafficking of people for sexual servitude and other serious crimes. $2.5 million over three years will enable the AFP to continue working alongside Sudanese Police to restore law and order in Sudan.
Domestically, the Government will strengthen the resilience of the electronic operating environment for business through measures totalling $73.6 million. This funding will be used to expand the Australian Government Computer Emergency Readiness Team, conduct an international cyber-exercise programme to enhance response to electronic attacks and to increase the investigative capacity of policing agencies.
An $8.7 million package to stop criminal infiltration of the domestic security industry will be provided to the Australian Crime Commission, after repeated links between organised crime and the industry were identified.
The Australian Government will provide $113.3m over five years to harmonise Australia’s personal property security laws in one Commonwealth Act and develop a single national online register of personal property security interests. The register will reduce red-tape for business and lead to cheaper finance and more competition in the financial services sector. The measure will be offset by revenue of $62.9 million generated once the new national register is operational.
Australian Government support for reforms to the family law system will continue with an additional $55.6 million package to establish two new programmes in regional Australia for separated parents and their children. The programmes will help separated families experiencing high-conflict, and assist the Family Court and Federal Magistrates Court to improve access to justice for defacto couples.
Access to legal aid will also be improved with the allocation of $19.7 million in new funds over four years. This package will provide more legal aid services in regional, rural and remote Australia.
Other key initiatives in the 2007-2008 Budget include:
- $20.0 million over two years to fund the ongoing national security public information campaign
- $4.0 million over four years for Customs to fund measures to enforce reporting of cross-border movements of cheques and money orders to prevent terrorist financing.
- $7.7 million over four years to fund the ongoing counter-terrorism exercise programme.
- $7.8 million over four years for Customs to focus on border security matters with Papua New Guinea Customs in conjunction with the Enhanced Cooperation Program (ECP).
Media Contact: Steve Ingram (Attorney-General’s Office) (02) 6277 7300
Media Contact: Robert Broadfield (Minister for Justice & Customs) (02) 6277 7260