Mr MARTYN EVANS (2:21 PM) —My question is to the Minister for Transport and Regional Services and the Acting Prime Minister. Despite heightened security concerns, can the Acting Prime Minister confirm that, still, not all luggage going into cargo holds is being screened?

Mr ANDERSON (Acting Prime Minister) —Since September 11 all luggage going into cargo holds in flights destined for sensitive parts of the world or high risk assessment areas, including America and Britain, has been screened. I announced recently that we would be moving to 100 per cent checked bag screening for all international flights, complemented by the automated baggage reconciliation system—procedures which will ensure that all hold bags will be accounted for and authorised for carriage. Legislation is coming forward for this. There is an obvious attempt here to raise concerns, to intimidate the travelling public, to denigrate our risk assessment authorities in this country.

The reality is that—as has been confirmed by none other than the ANAO—since September 11, this country has had a very comprehensive set of aviation safety arrangements in place, plainly based on very high quality risk assessment. Never has aviation security in Australia, in relation to internal and international flights, been higher. Again, I say that we have a whole series of ASMs—additional security measures—which can be tripped on the basis of upgraded information, increased alerts or heightened security arrangements as those would be forthcoming. If these arrangements became necessary, they would extend so far as to effectively curtail all activity by our airlines and airports. This narrow obsession with aviation security—

Opposition members interjecting—

Mr ANDERSON —Hang on.

The SPEAKER —The Leader of the Opposition must understand his obligations under standing order 55. The same obligations apply to the Acting Prime Minister.

Mr ANDERSON —This obsession with aviation security and the transport sector fails to recognise—interestingly enough, because I think the objective is to scaremonger—that there are a whole range of areas—

Mr Swan —Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order. I find that comment by the Acting Prime Minister offensive and I ask him to withdraw it.

The SPEAKER —I do not believe the comment made by the Acting Prime Minister was unparliamentary.

Mr Swan — Mr Speaker, I raise a further point of order. Under standing order 76 as well as standing order 144—and given your ruling in this House two days ago about imputations—I do not think that it is wrong to ask for a withdrawal. This is a clear imputation against the opposition that we are not genuine in our concern for national security. I find his comment completely offensive, as does every member on this side of the House, and we ask that it be withdrawn.

The SPEAKER —I am very happy to apply the standing orders as the member for Lilley requires. I think he will then find, however, that the debate throughout the rest of the day and year is considerably constrained. There was not a comment made by the Acting Prime Minister that was unparliamentary. I have so ruled. I do not intend to require him to withdraw it. That does not mean that the remark was desirable.

Mr ANDERSON —Mr Speaker, I can only conclude that any genuine concern with international and national security affecting the safety of Australians now and in the future would have seen the opposition concentrating over the last two weeks on the real issues confronting us internationally. We would have actually heard a debate about Iraq and the problems of disarming Iraq.

The SPEAKER —The member for McMillan is warned.

Mr ANDERSON —We would have heard some mention of the activities of the British Prime Minister. We would have actually had a probing of how it came to pass—

Mr Beazley —Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order, which goes to relevance. A serious question was asked that affects the safety of everybody who travels by aircraft. There is an obvious obligation on the minister responsible to answer it so that we know when everything is going to be properly covered and inspected. That is all the question was about. He is now discussing the situation in Iraq and our alleged attitude to it.

The SPEAKER —The question of security is, of course, a very broad issue. The Acting Prime Minister's answer was relevant.