Senator KIM CARR (Victoria—Minister for Human Services) (10:36): I thank senators for their comments in their contributions to the debate on the Aviation Transport Security Amendment (Screening) Bill 2012. The government are very concerned about ensuring that we are able to operate our airports with the highest level of safety possible and that the travelling public has the confidence that all actions have been taken to protect their safety while at the same time protecting their privacy and their health, and that is what this particular amendment bill seeks to do. The passage of the bill will help ensure the safety of the 13 million people who depart from Australia's international airports each year and, of course, optimise security for domestic travellers as well. I have listened carefully to what has been said around the chamber, and there have been opportunities to canvass some of these issues, no doubt, through the committee stages of the bill. Senator Macdonald was at least gracious enough to acknowledge that his comments were political— Senator Ian Macdonald: Some of them. Senator KIM CARR: He did pursue a political line of argument, so we should not take everything he says at face value. But, in regard to the effects on Horn Island, I asked the officers from the department and from the minister's office to provide some information as to the cost of the screening. The policy is designed to cause as little impact as possible to business and, of course, to ensure that a safe and secure aviation system remains a No. 1 priority for the whole nation and not just for any particular airport but for the entire airport system. I am advised that the government has provided assistance to Horn Island Airport so it can comply with the aviation security requirements. The government has provided funding both for the purchase of the security equipment and to assist with the infrastructure modifications that are required for the installation of that equipment. That comes to a total of $1,110,000 for the Horn Island Airport. The average cost of each body scanner, I am told, is $230,000. The Horn Island Airport received significant funding through the government for the expansion of its infrastructure in 2011. The government contributed funding of $4.65 million for the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs; $340,000 for the Department of Infrastructure and Transport; and $100,000 for the Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport. That funding is in the context of each body scanner costing, as I said, $230,000. So there is quite clearly a significant discrepancy between the propositions that were put to this chamber today by Senator Macdonald and the amount of assistance that the government has provided to Horn Island. I look forward to the swift passage of this bill. As many have indicated already, there are many other matters that need to be dealt with by this chamber. Question agreed to. Bill read a second time.