From AAP

05feb02

THE federal government has vowed to make national security the priority of its third term as the opposition accused it of ignoring its own intelligence advice.

In a briefing to his department, Attorney-General Daryl Williams said security reforms would be among the first new laws tabled when parliament resumed next week.

Sweeping new counter-terror measures boosting ASIO's interrogation powers and coordination among security agencies would help ensure the safety of Commonwealth heads at next month's CHOGM meeting in Queensland, he said.

Officials from 29 countries were today visiting Coolum on Queensland's Sunshine Coast where the CHOGM meeting is to be held.

In a separate video address, Mr Williams told delegates security preparations for the meeting were strong and CHOGM would not be cancelled by what he called despicable acts of terrorism.

But his assurances came as Labor accused the government of ignoring advice from its top intelligence wing that the proposed United States National Missile Defence would harm Australia's national interest.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd said the leaked report, prepared by the Office of National Assessments (ONA), warned the shield's introduction would not be in Australia's diplomatic or security interests.

The ONA had taken the same position as that publicly adopted by Labor last December when the US announced it planned to withdraw from the 1972 Anti-ballistic missile treaty, he said.

He said Labor strongly backed the US alliance, but was concerned about the long-term implications of strategic nuclear buildup in the Asia-Pacific region.

"Despite the starkness of the intelligence advice to the Howard Government, the government has nonetheless fully embraced the US proposal," Mr Rudd said.

"It is a most serious matter when a government elects to totally ignore its own highest level security and intelligence advice on a matter that goes to the heart of the nation's long term security interests."

The leaked ONA briefing said the NMD could provoke Russia and China into an arms race that would have a direct bearing on Australia's strategic outlook.

"In particular, Australia's regional security outlook would deteriorate as countries neighbouring China sought to acquire stronger military capabilities in response," it said.

Australia would most likely play a role in NMD through the Pine Gap communications base outside Alice Springs.

Mr Rudd said the report demonstrated the government was happy to cherry-pick ONA intelligence advice to suit its political agenda rather than the nation's long-term security interests.

Defence Minister Robert Hill refused to comment on the ONA assessment.

But he said the government believed the reasons for which the US had decided to proceed with the NMD were sound.

"It need not lead to a proliferation of weapons within the region," he said.

Senator Hill said he also believed President George W Bush was taking the right steps in ensuring the NMD would not cause a diplomatic backlash through ongoing negotiations between the US, Russia and China.