Watching Brief on the War on Terrorism
On 15 May 2002 the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade resolved to conduct a Watching Brief on Australia's involvement in the War on Terrorism and in related actions in response to terrorism.
In its initial phase, the Watching Brief involved regular private briefings from government, non-government and international experts on:
- the nature and extent of Australias current commitment to the International Coalition Against Terrorism;
- the nature of the terrorist threat at home and abroad; and
- the measures in place, domestically and internationally, to counter the threat of terrorism.
A delegation of members from the Committee also travelled to Kuwait, the Persian Gulf, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan to visit the Defence Forces deployed to the International Coalition Against Terrorism. The report of this visit was tabled in Parliament on 21 October 2002.
On 2 December 2002 the Committee announced the next phase of its Watching Brief: a series of public hearings on Australias preparedness to manage the consequences of a terrorist attack in Australia.
The hearings will begin in Canberra on Monday 9 December 2002, with a focus on the role of the Commonwealth Government and its agencies in coordinating the immediate response to, and managing the consequences of, a terrorist attack. The Committee will then travel to various States and Territories to hear from local coordinators of the National Counter Terrorism Strategy, police and emergency service agencies and health service providers.
Further details about the hearings will be published as they become available.
Chairman's Statement: Review of Australia's Preparedness to Manage the Consequences of a Terrorist Attack (PDF 1527KB)
Report: Visit to Australian Forces Deployed to the International Coalition Against Terrorism
Submissions
Public hearings (and transcripts)
Media releases
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