Regional Counter-Terrorism Package

The Australian Government will provide an additional $92.6 million over the next four years to boost the capacity of regional countries to combat the continuing and evolving threat of terrorism.

Despite recent successes against terrorist organisations in our region, the bombings in Bali last October again demonstrated the serious terrorist threat faced by Australians travelling overseas and Australian interests in the region.

The new measures will build on existing regional cooperation in law enforcement, intelligence and border control. They will also expand regional cooperation to keep Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) out of the hands of terrorists; to build regional capability for responding to actual terrorist attacks; and to promote tolerance and counteract terrorist propaganda.

Key elements of the Government's Counter-Terrorism package include:

Enhanced law enforcement counter-terrorism capacity and liaison networks, and expanded intelligence cooperation capabilities ($34.5 million over four years);

Customs initiatives to improve border control capability and coordination in the South-East Asian region ($7.1 million over three years);

Support the further development of the APEC Regional Movement Alert System ($10.9 million additional funding for DIMA over four years) and enhancing Indonesia's border alert system at major ports (a separate $9.8 million over four years to be absorbed by DIMA);

DFAT initiatives to build regional awareness of the WMD and terrorist threats and coordinate efforts by nuclear agencies (ANSTO/ASNO/ARPANSA) to strengthen regional controls on chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials ($5.1 million over four years);

Increased capacity for DFAT to support Australia's growing international counter-terrorism efforts, to improve coordination with counter-terrorism partners, to build regional emergency response coordination mechanisms, and to work with regional governments to promote tolerance and counteract terrorist propaganda ($35.0 million over four years).

Previous Government initiatives over the past four years include two regional counter-terrorism assistance packages ($127.3 million); establishment of the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation ($36.8 million); counter-terrorism assistance programmes for Indonesia ($20.0 million) and the Philippines ($10.0 million); enhanced Australian Federal Police regional counter-terrorism cooperation capabilities ($102.0 million); and establishment of a regional counter-terrorism intelligence cooperation and joint training program.

Media Inquiries: Mr Downer's office 02 6277 7500 - Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555