I’d like to start by acknowledging the contributions of those who have already spoken here today. There have been some incredibly moving contributions by members in this place, but, in my view, none more moving than those of members who have spoken and have drawn on their experience as serving members, previously, of police forces.…
The 8th Australia-Indonesia Ministerial Council Meeting on Law and Security (MCM) occurred earlier today, co-chaired by Australian Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews and Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Mohammad Mahfud MD. At the 8th MCM, held in Jakarta, Ministers discussed several shared priorities, including countering terrorism and violent extremism, and…
Four years after the Coalition Government established the Home Affairs Portfolio in December 2017, the Morrison Government is continuing to keep Australians safe, safely reopen our international borders, and secure Australia’s economic recovery. Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews said the Morrison Government has ensured the Home Affairs Portfolio can effectively anticipate, prevent, prepare, respond and…
Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs, the Hon Karen Andrews MP, paid a visit to Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 18 to 21 December 2021, on the eve of the 75th anniversary of bilateral relations in 2022. Minister Andrews called on the President of Sri Lanka, His Excellency Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof G.…
The Australian and Sri Lankan Governments have once again partnered to enhance regional border security, today opening the Sri Lankan Border Risk Assessment Centre (BRAC) at the Department of Immigration and Emigration, near Colombo. The BRAC is a new intelligence facility directly under the Ministry of Defence which will allow Sri Lankan agencies to share…
The United States and Australia today signed a landmark agreement that will facilitate access to electronic data for investigations of serious crime, including terrorism and child sexual abuse. The agreement is authorized by the Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data (CLOUD) Act, a bill Congress passed in 2018. The CLOUD Act Agreement will help ensure…
I will visit the United States of America, Sri Lanka and Indonesia to strengthen Australia’s ties with these close partners and further progress our cooperation on strategic issues of shared interest. In the United States, I will meet with a range of senior officials and law enforcement partners to discuss and deepen our collaboration, particularly…
The Morrison Government has commenced public consultation on proposed legislation designed to enhance the resilience of Australia’s critical infrastructure to security risks, including cyber-attacks. Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews said two concurrent public consultations were now underway as part of the Morrison Government’s commitment to engage with stakeholders, industry experts and the broader Australian…
Australia now lists 27 terrorist organisations under the Criminal Code, with the entirety of Hizballah and neo-Nazi group The Base today formally added to the national terrorist listing. Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews said the Morrison Government would continue to list groups that used violence in pursuit of political, ideological or religious objectives. “Terrorism…
The Morrison Government continues to pursue serious organised crime gangs, today announcing the appointment of three new full‑time examiners for the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), bringing the total number of ACIC examiners to six. Based throughout Australia, ACIC examiners are independent statutory officers appointed by the Governor-General to exercise coercive powers in the context…