House debates Questions without Notice
Asylum Seekers
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition
2:01 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer him to the answers he gave in question time yesterday concerning his or his officers’ involvement in the matters to do with the nine days at sea of the Oceanic Viking and the accommodation of the 78 asylum seekers on board in Indonesia. He indicated that he was unaware of who was making those decisions. With 24 hours to find the answer, could he now tell the House what involvement he or his officers had in the decision making with respect to the Australian Customs ship Oceanic Viking?
Kevin Rudd Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
As I said to the House yesterday, there are diplomatic negotiations which occur between governments which, as in previous practice, remain confidential.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
Kevin Rudd Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
Well, they have been in the past and they will be into the future. The second thing I would say is as follows: in Indonesia at the time of the President’s inauguration I discussed with him the particular circumstances of that vessel. Third, in relation to the question asked of me yesterday, I think by the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, I stand by everything I said in that answer.