House debates Questions without Notice
Asylum Seekers
Michael Keenan Stirling, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Justice, Customs and Border Protection
3:12 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. Has Malaysia agreed to accept, amongst the 800 asylum seekers to be transferred to Malaysia as part of the five-for-one people swap deal, asylum seekers who are without identification papers and who refuse to cooperate in an identification process?
Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
3:13 pm
I thank the member for his question. As the member would be aware, we are in advanced discussions with Malaysia. Rather than, as we have seen from the opposition in the past, the member for Stirling going round and making things up, at the appropriate point he will be able himself to see all of the conditions applying to the transfer agreement with Malaysia. I would remind the member that the purpose of the transfer agreement with Malaysia is to break the people smugglers' business model.
Luke Hartsuyker Cowper, National Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House
You created it. You opened the door.
Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
It is only by working through our region in a regional way through an agreement like the agreement we are discussing with Malaysia that we can break that model—as opposed to what the Leader of the Opposition and his spokesperson are recommending, which is a one-out action, not being part of a regional solution, not being connected to UNHCR and having the ultimate destination as Australia.
Mr Hartsuyker interjecting—
Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
We are determined to work through to a more effective approach to deal with people-smuggling.