Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to this advertisement in the Northern Territory to recruit staff to the Northern Immigration Detention Centre in Darwin, which has been confirmed as the location for transferring detainees when Christmas Island reaches capacity. After 24 unauthorised boat arrivals in just 10 weeks, when does the government expect it will be transferring detainees from Christmas Island to Darwin, so ending the Prime Minister’s commitment to offshore processing?

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. In response to his question and to various newspaper reports today, I say to the honourable member that Christmas Island is currently not at capacity. Furthermore, I would say to the honourable member, as the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship has said on multiple occasions—

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, a point of order on relevance. My question related to this advertisement, not today’s newspaper—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Cook will resume his seat. He approached the dispatch box 15 seconds into the answer and the Prime Minister was responding to the question. I will listen to the Prime Minister’s response.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Further to my answer to the honourable member’s question: as the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship has said multiple times in the parliament and outside the parliament, the government has for a long period indicated that, if further capacity is needed at various other locations within the country, of course we would have recourse to that. I would draw the honourable member’s attention to my earlier answer, in which I pointed out that, on previous occasions during the time of the ‘Pacific solution’, the government at that stage brought various asylum seekers to processing centres within Australia.

I say to the honourable member therefore: I know consistency is not the first virtue of the opposition on any matter of policy. I know it is not the first virtue of the opposition when it comes to asylum seekers policy. I know it is not the first virtue of the Leader of the Opposition when it comes to any policy, but I say this to the honourable member who asked the question: the government, through the immigration minister, has been absolutely consistent about the measures which any proper government would put in place against future contingencies. I say again to the honourable member, as I did at the outset of my answer, that Christmas Island at present is not at capacity.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I seek leave to table the advertisement advertising new positions at the detention centre.

Leave not granted.