Michael Danby (Melbourne Ports, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

We just had in the House the faux concern for the Afghan asylum seekers expressed by the member for Cook and the opposition. I never thought I would see the day that I would have to rise, using this adjournment opportunity because I did not get it when the motion was discussed, to note that Australia’s obligations under the Refugee Convention have been cited by the opposition, to suddenly learn that the coalition are concerned about Australia contravening UN conventions after their 12 years of government, when they locked children behind barbed wire and held them in detention indefinitely. Where was Mr Morrison, the member for Cook, during the election when the coalition used fear-mongering tactics in ads with yellow arrows coming down to Australia? Where was he when they were talking about the passive invasion of boats? Where was he when, as I said, they were using the ads with the giant yellow arrows depicting hordes of people coming to our shores? And now he comes into this place and raises concerns about the Afghan people being kept in detention. Forgive me if I do not take his concern seriously. This is the party that gave us Tampa, that gave us the Pacific Solution and the inhumane detention of children.

Adding to this is the bizarre notion that the opposition leader will have a ‘boat phone’ ready to direct border security. I can just see it now. Mr Abbott gets a knock on his door from the member for Cook. ‘Holy asylum seekers, Batman. Another boat’s arrived. Get on the boat phone and turn them back!’ This clearly indicates that the member for Cook and the coalition have no understanding of the complicated nature of the asylum seeker issue.

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