Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

My question is directed to Senator Vanstone, the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs. Can the minister explain how the government’s new detention policy reflects the position announced by the Prime Minister on 17 June last year to humanise detention practices? Didn’t the Prime Minister back down last year and agree to release the families with children in detention into the community, the finalisation of applications within 90 days, the provision of improved mental health services and the review of long-term detainee cases by the Ombudsman? How will those commitments be honoured if all asylum seekers are removed to Nauru and Manus Island? Wasn’t this latest tough stance on asylum seekers a direct response to concerns raised by the Indonesian government, following the granting of visas to 42 West Papuan asylum seekers? Hasn’t the government now cynically walked away from its commitments of June last year in an effort to appease the Indonesian government?