Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

The centre on Nauru, of course, is not part of any cooperative regional approach because, put simply, it does not change the business arrangements that suit the people-smugglers. What happened with Nauru was that the people who were unfortunately transferred there all ended up back in Australia. The opposition have failed to face up to the fact that their proposition has always meant that those people end up in Australia. What we would see here is a direct incentive for the people-smugglers to continue their evil trade. So, Senator Cash, your suddenly-found concern for the welfare of refugees cuts no ice here. We know what the record of the Liberal government was, we know what abuses they inflicted on people, we know the psychological damage that was inflicted on the people who ended up in Nauru and we know that the proposition you are putting is a load of hogwash, because it is about supporting the people-smugglers.