Andrew Giles (Scullin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Clark for his question and for the sincere concern which lies behind it—indeed, his longstanding advocacy on behalf of refugees and asylum seekers. I acknowledge that he and many members of the crossbench have raised these issues with me in respect of this very significant commitment. I'm very proud to be a member of a government that recognises that we can be resolute in maintaining strong and secure borders whilst not abandoning our humanity. That is fundamentally important. It is who we are as a people, regardless of what members opposite might say and regardless of their record of cruelty and neglect. I'm also proud to be a member of a government that keeps its promises, unlike members opposite. This government made a commitment, that the member for Clark recognises, to transition people who came here more than a decade ago, and who are owed our protection and who are on temporary protection visas or SHEVs, to permanent visas.

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