Fed: Anti-terror arrangements good and getting better

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Fed: Anti-terror arrangements good and getting better

CANBERRA, Dec 9 AAP - The national protective service coordination body keeps a roundthe clock watch in the wake of terrorist attacks, a parliamentary committee heard today.

Anti-terrorism cooperation among the commonwealth, states and territories and emergencymanagement was good and getting better following the September 11 and Bali attacks, thecommittee heard.

Secretary of the Attorney-General's department Robert Cornall said funding in the lastbudget now allowed the Protective Security Coordination Committee watch office to operate24 hours a day.

That would continue until levels of risk and threat were reassessed next year.

Responses had been tested with the Bali terrorist attack and during the current bushfiresemergency, Mr Cornall said.

"It is worth recording that the levels of cooperation between the commonwealth andthe states and territories are very good and getting better," he said.

"Our current emergency management responses are pretty good. They have been testedin Bali. They have been tested in the bushfires.

"Although there is room for improvement and a review of our response after the Baliincident indicates specific areas for further attention, we should start from the premisethat our current arrangements have been recently tested and been found to be satisfactoryfor the task in hand, although there is always room to make them better."

The parliamentary committee on foreign affairs, defence and trade is examining howfederal and state agencies would respond to a terror attack and whether current arrangementsare adequate.

If an attack occurred, the PSCC would be notified and would assess the nature of theincident and response measures. The director would advise ministers and key departmentsof the situation.

Usually within an hour, the commonwealth counter-terrorism committee would meet toassess the situation and make arrangement for commonwealth involvement.

That could involve pre-positioning of Australian Defence Force Tactical Assault Groups.

PSCC director Ed Tyrie said the terrorist response arrangements had been tested andrefined during regular exercises.

AAP mb/kjp/drp/bwl

KEYWORD: TERROR INQUIRY