Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Justice, Customs and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. I remind the Acting Prime Minister that before the election the government promised that there would be no expansion of processing centres in Australia, and that since the election there have been 4,300 new beds added at centres including Curtin, Scherger, Wickham Point, Darwin, Broadmeadows, Pontville, Inverbrackie and Northam. Given the spate of illegal boat arrivals at Cocos Island, will the Acting Prime Minister guarantee that the government will not open a detention centre there?

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is quite ironic that the party that has come into this House and refused to support overseas processing then comes in and complains about an increase in arrivals. It is just quite extraordinary. They have got a real hide to come into this House after they sabotaged the Malaysian arrangement, which would break the people smugglers' model and put us in a position where we can send that message to the region about not jumping on a boat. But having wrecked that, they then come into the House and make all these others claims that we have heard from them both here and outside the parliament. There are no plans for Cocos Island from this government, but I can tell you this: we are going to hold you accountable for your failure to support in this House legislation that would break the people smugglers' model.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a point of order: the Acting Prime Minister was asked whether he would rule out a detention centre at Cocos Island and that is the question that he needs to answer.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Acting Prime Minister will refer to the question before the Chair.

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have already answered the question.

Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Justice, Customs and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a supplementary question. As the Acting Prime Minister has refused to rule out opening a detention centre at Cocos Island, can he inform the House how much it is costing the Australian taxpayer to fly staff and resources on charter planes to Cocos Island and to fly asylum seekers from there to Christmas Island?

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If the opposition were concerned about the costs of processing anywhere they would support our legislation in the House.