A SHORTEN LABOR GOVERNMENT WILL BRING THE AFP BACK TO HOBART AIRPORT

A Shorten Labor Government will reinstate 16 Australian Federal Police officers at Hobart Airport, restoring a permanent AFP presence.

 

This will strengthen our national security, enhance safety at the airport, improve detection of federal crimes and enable Tasmanian Police to re-divert resources back to community safety across Tasmania.

 

In 2014, the Abbott Government removed Hobart Airport’s permanent AFP detail. A decision condemned by the Australian Federal Police Association, the Police Association of Tasmania, the Tasmanian Government, and state and federal Liberals.

 

Hobart Airport is now the only airport in an Australian capital city without an AFP presence. The AFP presence in Tasmania overall has fallen from 30 personnel to five – an extraordinary 84 per cent reduction under the Liberal Government.

 These cuts have forced Tasmanian Police to divert precious resources away from community policing and crime across the state to protect Hobart Airport, reducing their capacity to fight crime across Tasmania.

 

Malcolm Turnbull has done nothing to fix this situation since he became Prime Minster. He has refused to reverse the cuts and continues to attack the AFP. 
 
 Under Malcolm Turnbull’s Government, an extraordinary $184 million has been cut from the AFP budget over the next four years, resulting in a loss of 151 AFP personnel this year alone.

 

The AFP are experts in ensuring our national security, fighting serious crimes such as drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, human trafficking, fraud and organised crime. Who knows how many of these crimes are going on undetected in Tasmania because of the Liberals’ relentless cuts to the AFP.

 

Tasmanians have exactly the same right as any other Australian to feel safe and secure.

 

Labor’s plan will boost the number of AFP in Tasmania from five personnel to 21 to ensure more effective cooperation with state police and federal authorities to keep Tasmanians safe.

 
 This policy has been costed by the independent Parliamentary Budget Office. It is estimated to cost $13.1 million over the budget forward estimates.

 

More information on Labor’s announcement can be found here.