Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Carr. I refer to the current Prime Minister's statement on radio 6PR on 8 July 2010 in which, when com­menting on regional processing centres, she stated:

I would rule out anywhere that is not a signatory to the Refugee Convention.

With the announcement by the government of its people-swap deal with Malaysia, isn't this just another example of the Prime Minister saying one thing to win an election and then going back on her word once in power?

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

Perhaps I can provide Senator Cash with some information that she is seeking. I can say that the government is sending a clear message to the people smugglers that asylum seekers should not bother coming to Australia by boat, because they will not be processed here. The transfer arrangement means that the people-smuggling business model will be completely undermined and it will deter those who are trying to make the dangerous journey to Australia by boat. The discussions with Malaysia, I am advised, are well advanced and are in the process of being finalised.

Senator Cash interjecting—

Senator Cash asks about the role of the UNHCR. I indicate to Senator Cash that, once in Malaysia, transferees will go into the mix for processing, alongside more than 90,000 UNHCR registered asylum seekers or refugees already in Malaysia. The UNHCR will be involved in a range—

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise in point of order. It is pretty obvious that my point of order goes to relevance or, rather, irrelevance where the minister is concerned. The minister is clearly reading the wrong brief, because he is not answering the question that I asked. My question was directly related to a statement made by the Prime Minister on radio 6PR on 8 July 2010, where she stated:

I would rule out anywhere that is not a signatory to the Refugee Convention.

In relation to the deal with Malaysia, isn't this just another example of the Prime Minister going back on her word?

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order. Senator Carr, you have 46 seconds remaining to answer the question.

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

Mr President, I am absolutely devastated!

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Carr, I just need you to address the question, not your personal circumstances.

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

It is very rude of you to talk like that in the chamber, Senator Cash, and I think you should have your attention drawn to the UNHCR spokesperson, who has said, 'As we understand the MOU, Aust­ralia's obligations under the Refugee Convention are not compromised provided that the fundamental rights of asylum seekers and refugees are assured in Malaysia.'What we have done with this agreement, for the first time, is get the UNHCR directly involved in discussions about the welfare of refugees in Malaysia. That is a very significant advance for refugees and for human rights. (Time expired)

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Talking about the welfare of refugees in Malaysia, given the coalition can guarantee that no asylum seeker sent to Nauru will be subject to caning, can the government give the same guarantee in relation to asylum seekers who it proposes to send to Malaysia?

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why do you hate refugees?

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

It is amusing—we have a senator here who would rip the wings off butterflies, if she thought there was a vote in it, who wants to give us lectures on the moral welfare—

Senator Abetz interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I heard your interjection, Senator Abetz. I must confess that I did not hear what was said.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. I am sure that, on mature reflection, without needing to repeat the words, Senator Cameron will withdraw that of which he accused Senator Cash.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Abetz, I did not hear anything at all. One of the difficulties that I have expressed this afternoon—and it has been not just been one side of the chamber but from both sides—is the constant interjection, which has made it very difficult—

Senator Joyce interjecting—

Senator Joyce! It has made it difficult to hear what some people are saying in this chamber, and that is not fair to either the person who has asked the question or the person who is answering the question. Senator Abetz has raised an issue with me now and there was no way that I heard what was said, or purportedly said, in the chamber.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I withdraw.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much. Senator Carr, continue.

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

Malaysia has made a firm commitment to treat transferred asylum seekers with dignity, with respect and in accordance with the human rights standards. Appropriate protections will be in place for those who are transferred. Senator Cash knows that. What she is seeking to do represents such a new-found commitment to human rights for refugees. It truly is a galling speech to have to listen to from that quarter. We have a clear undertaking from the Malaysian government. The Australian government is concerned to ensure that asylum seekers are treated with respect and are treated with dignity, and that is what will happen under the terms of these arrangements.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. With the signing by Nauru of the United Nations refugee convention and the fact that Malaysia is not a signatory to the convention, when will the government admit that Nauru is a more humane, cost-effective and proven option as an asylum seeker processing centre com­pared to Labor's still unsigned people-swap deal with Malaysia? In relation to the minister's statement, is the statement made by the Prime Minister of Malaysia worth more than a statement made by the Prime Minister of this country?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to 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.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.