Mr HAWKER (2:24 PM) —My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport and Regional Services. Would the Deputy Prime Minister advise the House of measures the government is taking to address the risk of terrorist attack on our ports or shipping? Are there any alternative policies?

Mr ANDERSON (Minister for Transport and Regional Services) —I thank the honourable member for Wannon for his question and note his interest in Portland. The government has been proactive for a long time on maritime security and in the fight against the possibility that terrorists might use ships as vessels in their evil objectives. Customs is operating its shipping container X-ray facilities. There are significantly tightened crewing identification arrangements: crew lists must now be received 48 hours ahead of any ship arriving in Australia. There has been the creation of the Office of Transport Security and the Transport Security Operations Centre, which are well funded by the Commonwealth government, and we are using increased intelligence to identify and thwart potential risks.

In addition, we are leading the way in implementing the new maritime security protocols—the ISPS Code, as it is known—and actively pursuing internationally the development of the international framework, the Ship and Port Facility Security Code, which we aim to have in place by 1 July this year. Legislation passed through this place last year. The regulations are in place. We have received over 90 per cent—and this reflects very well on industry; we thank them for their cooperation—of all maritime plans from port operators and ships. That is some 300 plans covering our 70 ports and the Australian shipping fleet. I note that this morning the Portland CEO, from the member for Wannon's own electorate, stated on ABC Radio that Portland will have its plan up and running by July and that he is not at all surprised by the announcement of a review, as the ports have been working on security for some time. I should mention that Australia is also helping our Asia-Pacific neighbours to meet their requirements.

Yesterday I announced that the Secretaries Committee on National Security will also conduct an up-to-the-moment and overarching review of maritime security in Australia. We take this very seriously indeed. We are—and I say this with total conviction—one of the world leaders in transport security, but this review will identify any weak links in the chain and anything else that we need to address. It will draw on the international experience to pick up anything that might advantageously be used to better protect our ships and our ports and ships visiting our ports. We need to make certain that we are all the time responding to intelligence, new information, and new technologies and procedures as they become available.

I am asked about alternative approaches. I note that the opposition's homeland security spokesman has had a few things to say. He thinks that we have done nothing on maritime security—that is the first thing he said yesterday—but he did not check with his transport spokesman.

Mr ANDERSON —The member for Hotham groans at the thought that the shadow minister for homeland security should have consulted with the member for Batman. He groans. He thinks the member for Batman might not have done his work. Of course, on this one, the transport spokesman over there knows very well what the government has been doing. He stood in here when we passed the legislation and went to some lengths to say that he actually thought we had done a good job and that the pulling of all of this together was an example of the parliament working well for the advantage and safety of the Australian people. That is what the member for Batman said some months ago, but unfortunately the shadow minister, who is the spokesman for homeland security, had not checked. He went on to say that their proposed coastguard would be of great value in combating terrorism.

Yesterday, in response to a question about that, I referred to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, who calls it a `coast guide'. I made the observation that, if I were a terrorist intent on doing something evil in Australia, I would far rather be intercepted by Labor's `coast guide'—a water taxi with a couple of .303s up on the poop deck—than by the Australian Navy. I would far rather be confronted by Labor's `coast guide' than by the Australian Navy—well equipped and well resourced, with men and women able to tackle the situation.

But this did prompt me to go and have a look to see just what Labor's maritime security policy was. The first thing that seemed logical to check was just what this `coast guide' was actually for. The platform tells us that the `coast guide' is to guard against these things: transnational organised crime, drug-running, gun-running and illegal fishing. Maritime terrorism is not mentioned. And when you search a little more widely you find that Labor's platform not only does not contain any measures to address maritime terrorism; it does not even address the possibility that the threat might exist.