Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Immigration. How many coalition or Labor Party politicians, or Liberal Party members, including but not limited to John Caputo, have approached you or the department to facilitate or inquire after the status of efforts by Huang Xiangmo to obtain Australian citizenship?

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Melbourne for his question. I asked for some work to be done in relation to the number of letters of support, for example, that have been provided by members of this House, perhaps anticipating a question of this nature. I do not have a comprehensive list, and sadly I have not included representations from the Greens. It is the case for me as immigration minister and for all of my colleagues past in this portfolio that we do receive a number of letters of support and special pleadings from members of parliament, because that is their job. Their job is to represent their constituents, and particularly where those constituents have difficulties with the nuance of a particular case—if there is a sick child or somebody has an unnecessary bureaucratic burden in their way in moving towards a permanent residency or citizenship outcome, or they might have a problem with a visa.

The honourable member may be interested to know that, in terms of correspondence from MPs, in the period 1 July 2016 to the close of business 14 June 2017, I received 2,875 such requests. Since October 2014—just before I came into this portfolio—we have received about 7,500 requests. I can give some breakdown of that in relation to those opposite. For example, the very honourable—as I pointed out yesterday—member for McMahon sent 183 letters of support between 2014 and now, the member for Watson sent 21 over that period and the member for Grayndler sent 25. Some members, depending on their electorate, will have additional contributions to make because they have a higher proportion of people from different backgrounds and different communities who will make representations. I think that is entirely appropriate and as it should be, and I commend members for representing their constituents.

Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, the member for Melbourne does not have the call. Has the minister concluded his answer? The minister has concluded his answer.