Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

No, that is not right, actually, Senator. That cost about $7 million. The Australian government has, for many years now, helped support proper processing of asylum-seeking claims in Indonesia. We have funded the UNHCR in its work in making the assessments and we have funded the international office of migration in supporting asylum seekers and caring for them during those processes. Those arrangements, as I say, were put in place during the first decade of this century by the Howard government. This government has looked to provide additional support for the UNHCR. We have increased funding to the UNHCR. We have increased funding for the international office of migration in order to provide more care for those seeking asylum in Indonesia and we have also helped fund some staff and training requirements to make the centre that was funded under the Howard government operational, to try and improve the skills of those in charge of the centre and to support their staffing needs.