Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

Labor has made it clear from the beginning that this legislation should pass through the parliament quickly. That was the commitment given at the Law Council of Australia Immigration Law Conference earlier this year. I appreciate Senator McKim's amendment calling for a review. However, Labor will not be supporting this amendment. This bill contains measures stemming from the recommendations of the 2014 independent review of the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority. In fact, Mr Tony Abbott was the Prime Minister when these recommendations were made. The current Prime Minister, Mr Scott Morrison, was the immigration minister who received the review.

The Senate has held not one but two inquiries into this bill. The bill was even debated for a short time in December 2018 and then, despite bipartisan report, that's where the legislation stopped. The bill has sat on the Senate Notice Paper for over 200 days—a simple, straightforward bill, which Labor has supported, and recommendations that the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison government have failed to make law for six long years. Even government senators recommended 'the Senate pass the bills without delay'. After six years, multiple reviews, many sitting weeks and three prime ministers, this bill is finally before the Senate, so let's pass it now.