House debates Questions without Notice
Immigration Detention
Peter Dutton Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition
1:59 pm
My question is to the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs. The Albanese government has released 149 hardcore criminals from immigration detention, including seven murderers, 37 sex offenders and 72 other violent offenders, putting Australians at risk. At a time when Australian families are living through a cost-of-living crisis and struggling to make ends meet, can the minister confirm the hardcore criminals he has released, including rapists and murderers, have now received over $3 million in free accommodation and welfare payments?
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Hon. Members:
Honourable members interjecting—
Milton Dick Speaker
Order! The Minister for Home Affairs will cease interjecting. So will the Deputy Leader of the Opposition.
The Minister for Home Affairs, I just said, will cease interjecting. That means cease interjecting.
Andrew Giles Scullin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs
2:00 pm
I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question, although I remind him and all members that it was a decision of the High Court that required this government—and indeed any government—to release the detainees in question. I remind him as well that the arrangements in place for support for people who are released from immigration detention are the same as they were when he was the minister responsible.