Senate debates

Tuesday, 2 February 2010

Asylum Seekers

Order

3:36 pm

Photo of Kerry O'BrienKerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Fierravanti-Wells, I move:

That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Prime Minister, no later than 2 pm on 3 February 2010, documents outlining or including the following:
(a)
details of the formulation, discussions and approval of the letter from Mr Jim O’Callaghan, Minister-Counsellor Immigration, Australian Embassy, Jakarta, Indonesia, entitled Message to the 78 passengers on the Oceanic Viking, dated November 2009, and the letter from Mr Andrew Metcalfe, Department of Immigration and Citizenship, to Senator Evans, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, dated 16 November 2009, including any arrangements, undertakings or special circumstances with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Indonesia regarding processing and resettlement of the asylum seekers from the Oceanic Viking; and
(b)
details of any committee involvement in relation to the letters referred to in paragraph (a), including:
(i)
the name of the committee,
(ii)
the date, time and duration of the meeting of the other committee, and
(iii)
details of all the attendees at each meeting, including the name and position of each attendee and the capacity in which they attended the meeting.
  • (iii)details of all the attendees at each meeting, including the name and position of each attendee and the capacity in which they attended the meeting.

Question put.

Mr Deputy President, I am not sure how the Greens have voted. Can you assist me with that? If they have voted with the opposition, we will call a division.

I think they voted no.

In which case, the motion should be put to a division.

A division having been called and the bells being rung—

3:41 pm

Photo of Bob BrownBob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

That the division not take place.

Photo of Kerry O'BrienKerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I understand thereby that there is a proposal to put the question again. Is that correct, Senator Brown?

Photo of Bob BrownBob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | | Hansard source

Yes.

Photo of John HoggJohn Hogg (President) Share this | | Hansard source

All right. The question now is that the motion moved by Senator Humphries be agreed to.

Question agreed to.

3:42 pm

Photo of Kerry O'BrienKerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

The government oppose this motion. We recognise that, now, it having the support of the opposition and the Greens, it will pass. We will therefore not call a division.