Australia’s offshore maritime security is to be further strengthened through a series of linked initiatives that will be implemented progressively through 2005. These measures, recommended by the Government’s Taskforce on Offshore Maritime Security, build on previously announced border protection and maritime security initiatives. They focus, in particular, on the protection of Australia’s offshore oil and gas facilities, and on ensuring that any terrorist threat to Australia’s maritime assets and our coastline can be quickly detected and defeated. In implementing these initiatives the government is committing a further $10.6 million to the more than $187 million we have committed to upgrading off-shore maritime security since July 2004.