House debates Questions without Notice
Temporary Protection Visas
Peter Dutton Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition
2:00 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the government's decision to abolish temporary protection visas. When Prime Minister Kevin Rudd took a similar decision in 2008 the result was more than 800 boats and 1,200 deaths at sea. Has the government received any warnings from agencies, officials, experts or foreign governments that this decision could lead to an increase in people-smuggling arrivals?
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
2:01 pm
I thank the member for his question. This government will continue to be tough on borders without being weak on humanity.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
Milton Dick Speaker
The House will come to order. The Prime Minister is 20 seconds into the answer.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
It worked well for you last May!
Tony Pasin Barker, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
Plenty of time yet!
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
I make the point on temporary protection visas and those impacted by this decision of the government that we went to an election and made it clear before the election. We have informed governments, and the Leader of the Opposition would be aware because I informed him. The Indonesian defence and foreign ministers, for example, were here last week. We have made very clear what our intentions are.
We've put in place appropriate measures. Australia's Operation Sovereign Borders policy architecture remains unchanged. We've continued to operate on that basis. What we have done though is not left in limbo people who have been in Australia for a decade or more. This applies only to people from 2013 or before. In terms of those people, during the nine years in which those opposite were in office, not one of those people were sent back—not one—to Afghanistan or Iran. If they're arguing that they should be sent back and that if only they had got a fourth term they would have acted and sent them back, then they should stand up and argue that that's the case.
Peter Dutton Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition
Mr Speaker, on relevance, the question went to whether the Prime Minister has received advice that this backflip in policy is likely to result in more boats coming.
Milton Dick Speaker
The Prime Minister is in order. He is addressing the topic of the question.
Government members interjecting—
Order, members on my right! The Minister for Early Childhood Education! The Prime Minister will continue his answer.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
We were very clear before the election—
Michael Sukkar Deakin, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Social Services
What advice have you got?
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
We're doing exactly what we told the Australian people before the election we would do, and we have a mandate for it.