Warren Entsch (Leichhardt, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship. Would the minister inform the House of the circumstances of the Sri Lankans who recently attempted to illegally enter Australia and the means by which they attempted to do so? Is the minister aware of any alternative policies? What is the government’s response?

Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Leichhardt for his question and I can inform him that 83 Sri Lankans were caught by the Royal Australian Navy in international waters attempting to illegally reach Christmas Island. The engine of the vessel upon which they were travelling had been sabotaged twice. On the first occasion the Navy was able to repair the damage but on the second occasion they were not able to do so. Some of the members of the group had spent time in Malaysia and Indonesia before boarding a people smuggler’s vessel for the voyage to Australia. I am advised that there is no evidence that by those who spent time in Malaysia any attempt was made to access the international protection system. A number attempted to do so in Indonesia and, of those that did, most did not await the outcome of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees assessment.

So let us get this absolutely clear. This was a package deal. These people paid the people smugglers up to $US10,000 to be transported from Sri Lanka to Australia. These are international criminal networks that operate on a high-profit basis and show no concern or care for the people they smuggle or the lives they endanger. The trade of people smuggling is odious, it is dangerous, it is repugnant and it is illegal, and it should be seen that way. The Australian government has done, and will continue to do, all in its power to prevent and deter the perpetrators of people-smuggling activity. We are determined to protect the borders of Australia and to maintain the integrity of the immigration system.

I am asked by the member for Leichhardt whether there are any alternative policies. There is an alternative policy: essentially to run up the white flag. The opposition spokesman on immigration, the member for Watson, has demonstrated that nothing has changed so far as the Australian Labor Party is concerned. He said, firstly, that the Sri Lankans should have been processed on Christmas Island and, secondly, that if any of the Sri Lankans are given refugee status then they should be let into Australia automatically. That would be no more than a promotional tool for the people smugglers to use in their marketing programs. This is a business, an odious business but nonetheless a sophisticated and profitable business for those who are engaged in people smuggling. Left to Labor, the Labor Party would give a green light to people smuggling. We know that the people smugglers will seek to continue their activities. The Australian people can be assured that this government will do everything it can to discourage them and close them down. On the other hand, under Labor the success of people smuggling is assured.

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.