Senator ELLISON (Minister for Justice and Customs) (11:43 AM) —I thank senators for their contribution to the debate on this important bill, the Australian Protective Service Amendment Bill 2003. The amendments continue the government's efforts towards protecting all Australians from terrorist attacks and honouring our obligation under international law to protect foreign diplomatic and consular officials and their premises. That is extremely important.

The additional powers contained in this bill will ensure the Australian Protective Service and the Australian Federal Police can provide effective security measures at airports, diplomatic and consular missions, defence establishments and other Commonwealth buildings. Australian Protective Service and Australian Federal Police officers will now have the power to act quickly in circumstances that give rise to security concerns in the course of providing protective security services at those locations where the exercise of the arrest power is not immediately necessary. These additional powers are preventative and proactive. They take personal privacy considerations into account and achieve a balance between what we believe law enforcement should have and protecting the rights and freedoms of Australian citizens.

I believe the new legislation provides for effective security without being overly intrusive or disruptive of people trying to do business in protected areas. The challenge has been to confront terrorism with a reasonable and effective response. As I mentioned, we have achieved a balance between the rights and freedoms of Australians going about their business—and, of course, visitors to this country because we are talking about international and domestic airports. We also have to remember to do this in an efficient and effective manner, without being disruptive to the free-flowing movement of people which is required at our busy airports. The same applies to guarding our installations and particularly diplomatic posts and diplomatic and consular officials.

There is always a challenge for government to achieve effective security, to ensure that people are safe and secure without being overly intrusive. We believe that the proposed amendments do just that. As I said, this legislation deals with situations where the arrest power is not immediately necessary. You need the power to inquire. You need the power to search. The Australian Protective Service and the Australian Federal Police need the power to ask questions, to detain a person if they are acting in a suspicious manner. Initially the amendments related to the Australian Protective Service and it had been proposed that we would deal with amendments for the Australian Federal Police in other legislation, but later it was thought best to bring it together in this one bill. Now that the Australian Protective Service is an operating division of the Australian Federal Police, it is necessary that both have the same powers. This is a very important bill. It provides increased safeguards for those areas I mentioned, particularly for people travelling through our domestic and international airports. I commend the bill to the Senate.

Question agreed to.

Original question, as amended, agreed to.

Bill read a second time.