Kelly O'Dwyer (Higgins, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Our world is becoming a smaller place. Goods, people and information can travel with greater ease than any previous time in human history. For Australia, a nation greatly affected by our geographic isolation, these changes bring great opportunity as well as new challenges. It is the government's task, wherever possible, to maximise Australia's opportunities while minimising the threats that a shrinking planet presents. This is particularly the case when it comes to the movement of people.

Modern Australia has been built on successive generations of migrants that have contributed to our economy and our society. Continued migration remains vital for Australia's economic growth. It is through their skills, endeavour and culture that we can all share in a brighter, enriched future. We must, however, not take our success as a migrant nation for granted. As such it is important that the community retains confidence in our systems, through the proper management of our immigration program and the security of our borders.

In particular we remain committed to ensuring that bona fide refugees continue to find safe haven in Australia; however, this must be done through an orderly, efficient and ultimately humane process not via criminal syndicates of people smugglers getting people to come here on unseaworthy vessels. Operation Sovereign Borders has been successful in drastically reducing unauthorised maritime arrivals, with no unauthorised boats reaching Australia in eight out of the past nine months. This is a far cry from Labor's chaotic and ultimately tragic policies where over 50,000 people arrived unauthorised by boat directly resulting in more 8,000 children in detention and at least 1,000 deaths at sea—men, women and children.

Building on this return to order, further changes to our Migration Act under the Migration and Maritime Powers Legislation Amendment (Resolving the Asylum Legacy Caseload) Bill will provide clarity and consistency for Navy and Customs personnel when detaining vessels and people at sea; re-introduce Temporary Protection Visas to enable asylum seeks to live safely within our community with the right to work, and access Medicare and social security, for up to three years; and introduce the Safe Haven Enterprise Visas, which will allow unauthorised arrivals currently in Australian detention centres who have been proven to require protection with an option to live, work and contribute in regional areas for up to five years.

These two visas will enable the backlog of asylum claims created by the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd government to be properly addressed and, very importantly, they will provide some certainty to those seeking asylum to enable them to get on with their lives.

Similarly, the Migration Amendment (Character and General Visa Cancellation) Bill broadens the immigration minster's ability to refuse or cancel a visa on character grounds. The legislation will broaden the basis on which an individual can fail the character test and allow the minister to require that personal information relevant to character be provided to him or her. These changes include: changing the definition of 'substantial criminal record' to include persons who have had two or more terms of imprisonment with these terms totalling 12 months or more—a decrease from the aggregate period of two years; broadening of the character test to include failure on specific grounds of 'serious international concern' such as involvement in genocide or if found guilty of any sexual offences against children and it also includes those persons who have been charged with such an offence to be refused entry. Furthermore, the changes enable the minister to refuse or cancel visas when an individual is considered a threat to the national interest based on advice from ASIO or Interpol; and enable the minister to cancel a visa without notice because they have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 12 months or more or have been convicted of a sexual offence against a child. The minister can, however, revoke the cancellation if they believe the character test has been passed or in extenuating circumstances—for example in the case of a pardon.

Australia's tyranny of distance has historically buffered Australia from the worst of events beyond our shores. However, a vigilant and flexible legislative framework is necessary to manage the challenges that result from a changing world. In this place we must never forget that the first duty of every national government to protect its citizenry and secure its borders wherever possible. The recent legislative changes are commonsense, responsible amendments that better enable the Australian government to fulfil this primary duty.

It is also the duty of a humane nation to provide refuge for those who flee persecution in their home country. I am proud that under this government we have been able to increase the number of humanitarian visas issued to people overseas in abject conditions and in refugee camps, who, with their families, wait in hope of a better life. We must never forget these people, who have been sidelined by the people-smuggling trade and who are truly vulnerable and cannot pay criminals to take them a better life but rely on us in this place. We have fulfilled that promise to them; we will not forget them. This is why we have taken the steps necessary to make sure that they can have the opportunity of a better life in Australia through our humanitarian visa program.

House adjourned at 21 : 30