Building Regional Capacity in Counter-Terrorism
Neighbouring countries will be assisted with a greater capacity to counter-terrorism and serious crime in our region
under measures announced today by Attorney-General Philip Ruddock and the Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator
Chris Ellison.
As part of a $92.8 million package to enhance counter-terrorism capacity in our region, the Australian Government will
provide the Australian Federal Police (AFP) with funding of $25.0 million over four years, and the Australian Customs
Service with $7.1 million over three years. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Department of
Immigration and Multicultural Affairs will receive the remaining funding for a range of measures to boost the capacity
of regional countries to combat the threat of terrorism.
The AFP will expand its program of investigative and specialist training currently delivered to regional law enforcement
partners through facilities like the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation.
The funding will go towards running offshore exercises and training with our regional partners as well as to increase
the number of counter-terrorism advisers working in the AFP’s international liaison officer network. An increased AFP
presence in our region will both enhance cooperation and assist the AFP in its efforts to combat terrorism.
The funding will also support the roll-out to high priority locations of a custom-built Case Management and Information
System (CMIS) developed for use in overseas jurisdictions.
Specialist forensic and technical training for law enforcement agencies in the region will also be enhanced. A new
specialist Bomb Data Centre will be established in Thailand, creating a regional centre of expertise in bomb data
analysis.
The funding for Customs will be used to improve border control capability and coordination in the South-East Asian
region.
This will build on early progress made under the Customs Sulu and Celebes Seas regional counter-terrorism initiative
that includes assistance activities such as training for appropriate regional border control agencies in intelligence,
ship search, chemical precursors (explosives and drugs), counter-terrorism awareness, commodity identification, and
passenger control.
The provision of relevant border technologies will include dual-purpose (explosives and drugs) trace detection systems
in high risk Southeast Asian regional ports.
The package reflects the Australian Government’s commitment to strong engagement and cooperation with our regional
partners on terrorism.