House debates Questions without Notice
Taji Mustafa
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training
3:01 pm
I have a question to the Attorney-General. Did she have foreknowledge and security advice in relation to the visit of Taji Mustafa before he visited Australia last week to address the Hizb ut-Tahrir conference?
Nicola Roxon Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Attorney-General
3:02 pm
I understand the question and the reason that it has been asked but, consistent with longstanding practice, I obviously would not comment on individual security advice that we are given. I can confirm to the House a matter that I think the immigration minister was trying to make clear over the cacophony that was coming from the other side. There are of course two different issues that are being addressed here. One is the proscription of terrorist organisations, of which there are 17 in this country. There is a very detailed process which is gone through. It is an important factor that people should be aware of, and it is a matter that I think it is important that people understand. That process needs to be gone through—both in consultation with the states, it is acted on in particular advice—
Ms Julie Bishop Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Madam Deputy Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The Attorney-General was not asked about proscribed terrorist organisations. She was asked about the minister's discretion specifically. That is the issue—
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will resume her seat.
Ms Julie Bishop Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Just a minute—she was asked about what the Attorney-General's office—
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will resume her seat. The Attorney-General has the call.
Nicola Roxon Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Attorney-General
The point that I was going to go on to make is that obviously, if people are in any way involved with organisations that are on that proscription list, there are certain processes that are gone through which would have an impact on the way a discretion was exercised by a minister.
Ms Julie Bishop interjecting—
The minister himself has already answered the question with regard to the requirements under the immigration act, and, having been on the receiving end of quite a number of actions—
Ms Julie Bishop interjecting—
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
Order! The Deputy Leader of the Opposition is not in a position to continually interject across the table.
Nicola Roxon Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Attorney-General
Having been on the receiving end of complaints that are made against the Commonwealth when action is not taken appropriately, in accordance with those legislative requirements, one of the unfortunate jobs that Attorneys-General have is to mop up mistakes that are made when people do not fit an act within the requirements of legislation. We have spent plenty of time doing that for decisions taken by those opposite and we do not intend to do that again.
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
Is the member for Cook seeking to table a document?
Scott Morrison Cook, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
No; it's a question.
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
No; two supplementaries have already been asked.