House debates Questions without Notice
Immigration Detention
Dan Tehan Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
2:51 pm
My question is to the Minister for Immigration. Didn't the minister mislead the parliament when he said each of the 153 hardened criminals would be continually monitored, given that evidence in Senate estimates advised us that 26 sex offenders, including child sex offenders, no longer have electronic monitoring?
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
Milton Dick Speaker
Order. Members on my right will cease interjecting.
Order! The member for Herbert is warned! The Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs has the call.
Andrew Giles Scullin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs
2:52 pm
I thank the shadow minister for his question. This is a question I have answered previously relying on the evidence given to Senate estimates that the detainees who were required to be released are being continuously monitored. But in relation to the last aspect of his question, I am deeply concerned by reports just in in the Sydney Morning Herald that refer to 102 convicted sex offenders released into the community when the Leader of the Opposition was responsible—and 64 child sex offenders, not by order of the court or tribunal but released by his delegates.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Government Members:
Government members interjecting—
Milton Dick Speaker
Order! Members on my right and the Minister for Regional Development will cease interjecting. The member for Wannon on a point of order?
Dan Tehan Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
Yes, Mr Speaker, and it is on relevance. The question was very, very direct. It said that Senate estimates has shown that there are 26 child sex offenders that no longer have electronic monitoring, even though the minister said that all 153 criminals would be monitored.
Milton Dick Speaker
The minister has concluded his answer.
Opposition members interjecting—
Order! I just remind the member for Wannon that is just about stating the point of relevance, not reading the question again.