Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026
Mr WALLACE (Fisher) (19:06): The member for Watson has overseen the return of ISIS brides and their children. The PM this week has continued to dodge questions on the government's role in this. I hope the minister can explain to the Chamber what the definition of 'assistance' might be a little bit better than the Foreign Minister has.
Minister, what assistance did the government, the Australian Border Force or other government agencies provide to facilitate the return of the ISIS brides and/or their children to Australia? This government confuses sentiment with strategy. It governs by reaction rather than principle.
It dismantled the Home Affairs superdepartment in 2022 only to rebuild it again in 2025. It removed ASIO and the AFP from its remit, then brought them back under the same roof. Each restructure has slowed decisions, blurred accountability and weakened Australia's readiness to respond to threats.
Under the coalition, the process for listing a terrorist organisation took days. Under Labor it now takes months. In an age of fast-moving threats, that delay is unacceptable.
The same dysfunction runs through our immigration system. Net migration has exploded. In two years, more than one million people have been added to Australia's population.
That has placed enormous pressure on housing infrastructure, health services and schools. There are now close to three million temporary visa holders and almost 400,000 people on bridging visas in Australia. The Administrative Review Tribunal, which this government played with, is buried under more than 110,000 cases.
When the coalition left government, there were 67,000 cases. That's not sustainable. It is not fair to migrants waiting for certainty, and it is not fair to Australians struggling to find a roof over their heads.
Despite these pressures, the government still has no clear migration strategy. The 2025-26 Migration Program was not even set in the budget. Instead we got more reviews, more talking points and no plan.
When will the government set a coherent migration strategy? Inside the Department of Home Affairs, the picture is no better. The 2025-26 corporate plan is full of buzzwords and bureaucracy.
It lists overlapping responsibilities, constant restructures and yet another so-called transformation program that changes nothing. The same department was responsible for 43 per cent of all Commonwealth FOI requests. This is the same FOI requests that the government seeks to make even harder and more costly to make—so much for transparency!
In 2025 the agency tasked with guarding our borders and data is still managing sensitive information on spreadsheets. Then there's cybersecurity. Every Australian understands the importance of protecting our digital systems and critical infrastructure, yet this government's cybersecurity record is as weak as its record on detention and immigration.
Businesses continue to be hacked through years-old vulnerabilities. The minister admits many of these breaches are preventable, yet there's no enforcement, no guidance and no support for small businesses. The coalition built the foundations for a strong cyber strategy.
We strengthened the ASD and invested in its critical infrastructure protection with a $9.9 billion investment. Labor has squandered that momentum. It talks tough on cyber but delivers delay after delay.
In the face of growing foreign interference, this complacency is unacceptable. At the heart of this failure lies a deeper truth. Australia still does not have a national security strategy.
The coalition and I have been calling for one for years, as have defence leaders, experts and allies. Our AUKUS partners in the US and UK each have national security strategies. Australia does not.
We cannot keep patching our national security framework with quick fixes and bumper-sticker bills. Security should be built in not bolted on. The late Jim Molan put it perfectly when he said: … how can there be a defence strategy without an overarching and comprehensive national security strategy?
The Home Affairs portfolio touches every Australian life. This government needs to do— (Time expired)