Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

I come back to the simple point that the agreement makes it very clear that people will not be caned. That is the nature of the agreement. On the other hand, the other part of the agreement, which actually allows for 4,000 refugees who are in Malaysia to be transferred to Australia, is ignored by the opposition. They now want to take it one step further and suggest to us, with extraordinary gall, that their record on human rights—their record in regard to Dr Mohamed Haneef, their record in regard to Cornelia Rau, their actions during their time in administration and the mistreatment of refugees and mistreatment of other people's human rights, their constant abuse of Australian law by the deportation of Australians citizens—ought be compared to an agreement which is actually about trying to improve the lot of 4,000 people who are declared refugees and have the opportunity to come to Australia. (Time expired)