Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I would point out that the minister totally avoided the first part of the question. I repeat the question: can the minister outline what discussions were held with the Indonesian government prior to the decision to change the policy? Will the government be consulting the Indonesian government over the backbench amendments that you are going to agree to? Can the minister explain why the government is more interested in appeasing Indonesian politicians than listening to its own backbench? Does this mean that Indonesia now decides who comes to this country and the circumstances in which they come?