Major Training and Infrastructure Boost for Law Enforcement
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Media Release
8 May 2007
Senator the Hon David Johnston
Minister for Justice and Customs
The Hon Malcolum Turnbull MP
Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
The Federal Government has announced funding of more than $219 million for a suite of new initiatives to ensure Australian Federal Police (AFP) are well equipped to carry out expanding national security and capacity building roles into the future.
The Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator David Johnston, said the package will fund specialised training, new facilities and information management needs in areas such as international policing, aviation security and intelligence.
“This Budget allocation demonstrates the Australian Government’s commitment to law and order”, Senator Johnston said.
“$3.3 million will support plans for the development of a state-of-the-art national law enforcement education and training centre, by funding a detailed scoping study examining the possible expansion of the AFP’s international training complex at Majura, outside Canberra.
The existing complex is home to the International Deployment Group - the AFP’s specialist international policing arm that undertakes capacity building and peace operations roles offshore - which will expand to 1,200 personnel by July 2008.
“The scoping study will examine the creation of a permanent IDG headquarters, as well as significant consolidation and expansion of training and specialist facilities at the site to provide enhanced interoperability and effectiveness and world’s best security and law enforcement training for the AFP,” Senator Johnston said.
On the aviation front, the Government has allocated $151.4 million over four years to provide long-term, purpose-built facilities for aviation policing and security teams based at Australia’s 11 major airports.
The funding will be used to create suitable office space and facilities for policing, intelligence and counter terrorism first response units, at major airports in Adelaide, Alice Springs, Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, Darwin, the Gold Coast, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.
“The new facilities will help streamline airport security operations and cater for large increases in police and security-related personnel working on the aviation frontline,” Senator Johnston said.
Funding worth $65.2 million over five years has also been provided to upgrade the AFP’s operational and intelligence systems, and enhance existing AFP technical infrastructure.
“This will strengthen the organisation’s capacity for collating and analysing increasingly large volumes of information and intelligence, to promote the early detection, investigation and prosecution of all forms of crime.”
The new systems will also facilitate greater interoperability with other Commonwealth agencies to enhance whole-of-government responses to crime.
Media Contact: Robert Broadfield Minister’s Office (02) 6277 7260