The Morrison Government is investing an additional $61.7 million into Australia's countering violent extremism (CVE) programs, keeping Australians safe from the full range of violent extremist ideologies and nearly doubling the total investment in CVE since such initiatives began in 2013.
Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews said the Government's CVE programs had delivered strong results, but these programs had to keep up with changing extremist ideologies, methodologies, and narratives.
"Australia is a peaceful, tolerant, and harmonious country, but we cannot be blind to the fact that there are those among us who seek to sow hate, fear, and discord," Minister Andrews said.
"Violent extremists may have a range of ideologies and motivations, but none of them are welcome in this country. This Government has zero tolerance for anyone threatening the peace and cohesion of our society by trying to use violence to achieve a political, religious, or ideological goal.
"The Morrison Government's significant new investment will ensure Australia's long-term safety, by funding a range of new and expanded CVE initiatives that will work together to build a safer, resilient and more united Australia."
The additional $61.7 million in new funding will ensure Australia's CVE programs remain effective in an evolving and increasingly complex environment. They include five key measures:
- investing $24.5 million to expand intervention programs into rural and regional areas;
- establishing a $13.8 million national program to rehabilitate and reintegrate violent extremists in custody;
- providing $8 million to found an international Centre of Excellence for CVE Research, Risk Assessment and Training;
- a new $10.7 million CVE Community Grants Program; and
- a $4.7 million boost to strategic communication programs that rebut extremist narratives and provide positive, alternative stories about life in Australia.
The Morrison Government's record investment to counter violent extremism comes on the back of several other initiatives that are keeping Australians safe from terrorism, including:
- making significant improvements to Australia's High Risk Terrorist Offenders regime - ensuring terrorist offenders released at the end of their custodial sentences are subject to tailored close supervision;
- listing The Base and the entirety of Hizballah as terrorist organisations under the Criminal Code - bringing the number of listed terrorist organisations to 27;
- revamping the Commonwealth's National Security Website - making it easier for Australians to protect themselves from terrorism and find information about what to do in a terrorist attack; and,
- coordinating the first national Ministerial Meeting on Counter-Terrorism and Transnational, Serious and Organised Crime - ensuring a joint, collaborative approach between State, Territory, and Commonwealth Governments on this important issue.
For more information on Australia's counter terrorism arrangements visit the National Security website.
