PEOPLE smugglers and those who finance them are to face a raft of new fines and extra jail time as the Rudd Government recruits ASIO to help combat the rising tide of unlawful boat arrivals.
The Government wants to give the spy agency, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, the power to use its resources to investigate and target people smugglers.
The legislation, to be introduced today, also proposes a new offence of providing material support for people smuggling which would attract 10 years' jail and/or a fine of $110,000.
People smuggling which involves the exploitation, danger, death or serious harm of passengers entering Australia will attract 20 years behind bars and/or a fine of $220,000.
The Government is facing mounting pressure over unlawful boat arrivals, with more than 700 suspected asylum-seekers arriving in Australian waters this year. It has also been a source of diplomatic tension with Indonesia.
Attorney-General Robert McClelland, Immigration Minister Senator Chris Evans and Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor said in a joint statement the laws would support a multi-pronged approach,
It would enable ASIO to specifically investigate people smuggling and other serious border security threats, and empower Australia's national security agencies to collect foreign intelligence about people smugglers, including using phone-tapping and other powers.
It comes as Prime Minister Kevin Rudd yesterday released the Government's long-awaited counter-terrorism white paper which finds a radioactive dirty bomb terror attack on Australian soil is possible and lone-wolf extremists could emerge at any time.
The 74-page report cautions that even if al-Qa'ida leader Osama bin Laden is captured or killed, those inspired by him will continue with deadly plots.
Releasing the national security blueprint, Mr Rudd said Australia's security agencies "warn that an attack could occur at any time" and the threat was permanent.
The report also finds the threat of homegrown terrorists is increasing.
Mr McClelland said there had been 38 terror prosecutions in Australia, with some still before the courts. He said all those suspects, apart from one, were Australian citizens and 20 were born here.
The white paper says: "An attack with a radiological dirty bomb, biological materials or industrial chemicals is feasible and could have a significant impact even if it only succeeded in generating widespread panic."
Queensland Liberal Senator Russell Trood said the report was "alarmingly thin on strategic detail" and allocated no funds to the task.
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