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9 May 2007

National Security Expenditure in the 2007-08 Australian Government Budget

This edition is divided into two sections:

1. the summary which is below
2. a detailed listing of initiatives which can be downloaded here.

Summary

The national security expenditure (excluding defence) in the 2007-08 Commonwealth Budget identified was $702 million over 4 years including $245.2 million in capital funding by the Australian Government. According to Government figures, this brings the total to $10.4 billion over the 10 years to 2010-11.

The Australian Homeland Security Research Centre’s analysis actually identifies the figure as:

• $665 million over 4 years (excluding defence) in the 2007-08 Commonwealth Budget
• $7621 million over the 10 years to 2010-11.

Compared with any Budget since September 2001, the emphasis on national security in this Budget is minimal. This is reflected in the Treasurer’s speech which gave it a cursory 55 words compared to 210 words on average for the last 4 year. The expenditure on national security is also half that of last year.

National Security Expenditure 2002-03 to 2007-08

Below is a table and chart of the expenditure.

Highlights

Below are selected highlights and following that are the complete key budget measures affecting national security, emergency management, intelligence and business continuity.

Targeting of Criminal Infiltration of the Domestic Security Industry

The 2007-08 Federal Budget will fund an $8.7 million package to target criminal infiltration of the domestic security industry over the next two years. The Australian Crime Commission (ACC) has identified links and vulnerabilities between organised criminality and the security industry during investigations and intelligence activities.

Law enforcement authorities and the domestic security industry will benefit from enhanced understanding of organised criminal penetration of the domestic security industry and the identification of tactical targeting opportunities.  It will also provide opportunities to strengthen the industry’s resistance to organised criminal penetration.

The funding provides an opportunity for the ACC to collect intelligence and information to assess the extent and nature of organised criminality in the domestic security industry.  It will enable the ACC to provide greater support to national law enforcement to disrupt and dismantle organised crime groups that have infiltrated the security industry. Criminal infiltration of the domestic security industry represents a significant threat, providing access to more avenues to conduct illegal activities.  This includes the distribution and trafficking of illicit drugs.

This measure includes capital funding of $0.3 million in 2007-08 for IT and surveillance
equipment.

E-Security Strengthened

The Budget expenditure includes measures totaling $73.6 million over four years to improve the electronic operating environment for business, home users and government agencies will be supported with.

The Australian Federal Police will also receive $15.6 million over four years to augment its ‘technology-enabled’ crime fighting capabilities. This funding will be used to:

• Create a specialised investigative capacity to support the identification and investigation of complex ‘technology-enabled’ crimes that threaten critical infrastructure;
• Develop e-security law enforcement tools in collaboration with industry and outside specialists; and
• Support the capabilities of countries in our region to combat ‘technology enabled’ crime.

The Attorney-General's Department will lead this whole of Government initiative and will receive $12.4 million over four years to:

• Examine the development of a business centre that allows IT security information to be shared quickly and effectively between Government and critical infrastructure organisations;
• Undertake a cyber-exercise program to improve our capacity to manage cyber-attacks including through participation in international cyber-exercises such as Cyber Storm II.
• Expand the Australian Government Computer Emergency Readiness Team (GovCERT.au) so that it can provide owners and operators of Australia’s critical infrastructure with information to help reduce the risks from sophisticated electronic attack and to provide government with information about the electronic risks to the critical infrastructure;

Below is a list of the current GovCERT.au responsibilities:

• liaising with CERTs from foreign governments;
• coordinating enquiries from foreign governments about cyber-security issues affecting Australian businesses, including critical infrastructure owners and operators;
• developing and coordinating the Australian Government’s policy for the National Information Infrastructure on how to prepare for, respond to and recover from computer emergencies;
• managing the Australian Government’s Computer Network Vulnerability Assessment Program, which provides cash grants to critical infrastructure owners and operators to undertake security assessments of their IT systems and networks, including physical and personnel security aspects relating to those networks.

GovCERT.au is also responsible for passing on sensitive information from foreign governments about IT security issues to Australian businesses, including critical infrastructure owners and operators.
GovCERT.au does not handle day-to-day computer incidents and does not provide training. These functions are handled in Australia by the Australian Computer Emergency Response Team (AusCERT).

Training and Infrastructure Boost for Law Enforcement

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.

$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.

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.

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 is designed to 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.

 $147.3 Million Expenditure on Customs Border Protection Capabilities

Customs will receive an additional $147.3 million, over the next four years to ensure it has the necessary resources to protect Australia’s borders.

Key Customs Budget initiatives included:

• $79.5 million over four years to develop, implement and operate the new Australian Maritime Identification System (AMIS). The system will deliver a whole-of-government approach to monitoring Australia’s maritime domain. It will allow the Border Protection Command, a joint Customs and Defence organisation, to detect, identify and respond appropriately to all vessels entering or operating in Australia’s offshore maritime areas.
• $31.7 million over four years for the charter of a vessel dedicated to the protection of the environmentally sensitive Ashmore Reef and Cartier Island Marine reserves. The vessel will strengthen Customs surveillance and enforcement activities in the area, particularly in relation to illegal foreign fishing off the north-west coast of Australia. The vessel will be equipped with two high-speed tenders for patrols of the marine reserves.
• $23.1 million over two years to enhance Customs ability to identify international travellers who may be of interest to a range of government agencies. The current Passenger Analysis Clearance Evaluation (PACE) system will be replaced by a new system to improve data sharing between agencies.
• $7.8 million over four years for Customs to focus on border security matters with Papua New Guinea Customs in conjunction with the Enhanced Cooperation Program (ECP).  Australian Customs will work in partnership with PNG to improve revenue collection and better protect its borders.  Australian Customs will provide support for improving the effectiveness of the PNG border; work with PNG Customs to establish a new border patrol capability; introduce additional x-ray equipment at PNG seaports and airports, as well as assisting with increased harbour and coastal surveillance. 
• $4 million over four years for additional airport officers and support staff to implement requirements for reporting cross-border movements of cheques, money orders and other bearer negotiable instruments. This activity is a key component of the Government's fight against the financing of terrorist activities.
• $1.2 million over four years to boost Customs capability to investigate imported precursor chemicals as part of the Combating Illicit Drugs Strategy. Customs will purchase and install additional reference spectral data in the Customs drug detection and identification equipment to expand its capability, six additional infrared spectroscopes used to identify suspect chemicals and 20 portable fume extractors for officer safety and increasing capability to sample chemicals from suspect cargo at Customs Container Examination Facilities (CEFs).

Air Cargo Security Upgrade

The Australian Government, in partnership with industry, will implement new measures to further strengthen the security of domestic and international air cargo through a $48 million package of initiatives.

This funding comes on top of the $38 million package of air cargo measures announced in September 2006.

The Department of Transport and Regional Services will receive $13 million to expand the deployment of explosives trace-detection equipment for the examination of domestic air cargo at each of Australia's major airports; improve the quality of security training for cargo handlers; and partner with Customs and industry to undertake a number of trials to test a variety of existing and emerging explosives-detection technologies. The funding will also provide funds to establish a quality assurance scheme to support the training of industry participants in the Regulated Air Cargo Agent Program.

Customs will receive $35 million to implement measures to significantly increase the volume of air cargo subject to security screening. These new measures will enhance Customs capability to identify, inspect and respond to high-risk export air cargo. This will be achieved through the deployment of additional explosives detector-dog teams; the provision of additional mobile X-ray vans, and, in collaboration with industry, trial and evaluate communications technology to achieve real-time air cargo reporting.

$4.7 million boost for security cards in aviation and maritime industries

The Australian Government will be providing an additional $4.7 million over four years to enhance security at ports and airports.

The initiatives include $2.9 million for the establishment of a regime to audit the activities of Aviation Security Identification Card (ASIC) and Maritime Security Identification Card (MSIC) issuing bodies.

A further $1.8 million has been provided to enable the Department of Transport and Regional Services to undertake the assessment of ASIC and MSIC applicants' criminal history certificates for the period 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007 when responsibility will move to the newly-created AusCheck in the Attorney-General's Department.

Information on initiatives can be downloaded here.