The Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) program, which included grants for community programs under the "Building Community Resilience" component, was indeed allowed to lapse in June 2014 under the Abbott government [1].
Waleed Aly, in his August 7, 2014 Sydney Morning Herald opinion piece, specifically noted that the Abbott government "let lapse in June" the Countering Violent Extremism program "and in particular its grants for community programs aimed at 'Building Community Resilience'" [1].
In August 2014, the Abbott government announced $630 million in new counter-terrorism measures over four years, focused primarily on security agencies (ASIO, AFP, ASIS) rather than community-based programs [3].
缺失背景
该 gāi 说法 shuō fǎ 省略 shěng lüè 了 le 几个 jǐ gè 重要 zhòng yào 的 de 背景 bèi jǐng 要素 yào sù : :
The claim omits several important contextual elements:
1. **Program Reinstatement**: The CVE program was eventually reinstated under the Coalition government.
By 2021, the Morrison government had invested an additional $61.7 million into CVE programs, nearly doubling total investment since such initiatives began in 2013 [4].
2. **Strategic Shift Rationale**: The initial lapse coincided with a broader shift toward what the government termed "hard" counter-terrorism measures - increased funding for intelligence agencies, new legislative powers for monitoring and detention, and a focus on foreign fighters returning from Syria and Iraq [3].
3. **Timeline Context**: The program lapsed in June 2014 during a period of heightened security concerns about Australians fighting with terrorist organizations in Syria and Iraq.
The government prioritized law enforcement and intelligence approaches over community engagement during this period [3].
4. **Program Predecessor**: The CVE program was originally created by the Rudd Labor government in 2009, meaning the Coalition inherited rather than initiated this community-based approach [2].
The original source provided is an **opinion piece** by Waleed Aly in the Sydney Morning Herald (August 7, 2014) [1].
主要 zhǔ yào 考虑 kǎo lǜ 因素 yīn sù : :
Key considerations:
- **Publication**: SMH is a mainstream, reputable Australian news outlet with center-left editorial leanings
- **Author**: Waleed Aly is an academic (Monash University lecturer in politics), broadcaster (ABC Radio National), and Fairfax columnist known for progressive perspectives
- **Nature of Source**: This is an opinion/commentary piece, not straight news reporting
- **Partisan Considerations**: The piece was critical of the Abbott government's handling of both Section 18C and counter-terrorism policy
- **Factual Claims**: The specific claim about the CVE program lapsing in June 2014 is presented as factual within the opinion piece
The source is credible for the core factual assertion but should be understood as presenting a critical perspective on government policy choices.
**Did Labor do something similar?**
**Labor Created the Program**: The CVE strategy was actually initiated under the Rudd Labor government in 2009 with the creation of a CVE national framework, which was the first of its kind in Australia [2].
* * * *
Labor established the "Building Community Resilience" grants program that the Coalition subsequently allowed to lapse.
**Labor's Approach**: The Rudd/Gillard governments pursued a community-engagement model that identified communities as "important player[s] collaborating with government to defeat terrorism" [2].
This soft/engagement approach contrasted with the Coalition's initial shift toward hard security measures in 2014.
**Comparative Analysis**: The claim implies the Coalition uniquely scrapped a valuable program.
In reality:
- Labor created the program (2009)
- Coalition allowed it to lapse (June 2014)
- Coalition later reinstated and expanded CVE funding (by 2021, $61.7 million in additional investment) [4]
This pattern shows both governments wrestling with balancing "hard" security (intelligence, policing) with "soft" approaches (community engagement, grants).
**The Full Story:**
The Abbott government allowed the CVE community grants program to lapse in June 2014 as part of a strategic pivot toward what it considered more immediate security threats - particularly Australians traveling to Syria and Iraq to fight with terrorist organizations and potentially returning as radicalized threats [1][3].
**Criticism**: Critics like Waleed Aly argued this was counterproductive, noting that "the social dimensions of terrorism" require community engagement and that the government was undermining "Team Australia" by cutting programs that built trust with Muslim communities [1].
Muslim community leaders later expressed concerns about the negative impact of counter-terrorism policies on community confidence and trust in working with authorities [2].
**Government Perspective**: The Coalition's August 2014 announcement emphasized that "the threat to Australia and Australians from extremists is real and growing" and focused on giving "security agencies the resources and legislative powers needed to combat home-grown terrorism" [3].
The $630 million package prioritized intelligence collection, border protection, and monitoring capabilities over community grants.
**Evolution**: By 2021, the Coalition had come full circle, nearly doubling CVE investment since 2013, acknowledging that community-based approaches were necessary complements to security measures [4].
**Key Context**: This was not a permanent abolition but a temporary lapse during a policy recalibration.
However, the claim lacks important context: (1) the program was later reinstated and significantly expanded under the same government, (2) the lapse occurred during a specific security crisis (Syria/Iraq foreign fighters), and (3) Labor had created the program, meaning the Coalition inherited rather than originated this approach.
The framing suggests a permanent abandonment of community-based counter-terrorism, when the historical record shows a temporary strategic shift followed by restoration and expansion.
最终评分
6.0
/ 10
部分属实
核心 hé xīn 说法 shuō fǎ 是 shì 准确 zhǔn què 的 de — — — — 涉及 shè jí 社区 shè qū 拨款 bō kuǎn 的 de CVE CVE 计划 jì huà 确实 què shí 在 zài 2014 2014 年 nián 6 6 月 yuè 被 bèi 允许 yǔn xǔ 失效 shī xiào 。 。
The core claim is accurate - the CVE program involving community grants was indeed allowed to lapse in June 2014.
However, the claim lacks important context: (1) the program was later reinstated and significantly expanded under the same government, (2) the lapse occurred during a specific security crisis (Syria/Iraq foreign fighters), and (3) Labor had created the program, meaning the Coalition inherited rather than originated this approach.
The framing suggests a permanent abandonment of community-based counter-terrorism, when the historical record shows a temporary strategic shift followed by restoration and expansion.