Philip Ruddock (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

During an answer in question time the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship accused me, as a former minister, of not consulting communities in relation to the establishment of detention facilities. Port Hedland was established under Labor, Curtin was established under Labor, Woomera has next to no local community engaged, and Baxter was in the countryside, but, when it came to establishing premises in Port Augusta for the children and their parents, very extensive consultation took place with the Mayor, Joy Baluch. As the Deputy Prime Minister might also vouch for, there was also very considerable consultation when we considered a detention facility in Brisbane in his electorate.

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