Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Conroy. I refer to the letter sent by the South Eastern Melbourne Medicare Local to the Prime Minister seeking urgent injection of resources to help cope with the effects of the government's decision to release asylum seekers into the community. I also refer the minister to the fact that in their letter the Medicare Local described the situation in the south-eastern Melbourne community as 'a simmering time bomb.' They warned of their concerns about 'increasing violence and crime, including gang related brawls and increasing drug and alcohol issues.' Why has the government chosen to pass the buck onto the states to deal with these problems rather than take responsibility for the effects of its border protection failures?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It will not come as a shock to you, Senator Ronaldson, but I have not seen the letter. On the general issues that you raise, I say again that it is hard to take you seriously when you do not want to support legislation that can put a stop to the people-smuggling rings. If you are not prepared to vote in this chamber to put a stop to the people-smuggling rings, to take away the incentive for those rings to use Australia as a target, if you will not support that, do not come in here and think you have any credibility whatsoever to mount an argument about the plight of these people. With the way refugees were treated under the Howard government, when they were demonised in language and demonised in the way they were treated, when your own back bench forced a revolt on you to take children out of detention—

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

Nonsense!

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Your back bench joined with us to force you to take them out—good members like Ms Moylan and others joined with many in the community and many in this building to force the Howard government to change its policy position. Do not come into this chamber and continue to pretend that you have the remotest interest in the genuine position of people in these circumstances—people who have been fleeing from persecution, fleeing from all sorts of horrors, surviving trips that they should not have been taking. They are taking these trips because you do not have the courage to stop playing politics. That is what this debate is about. Those opposite will not stop playing politics with this, and they stand shamed by their irresponsible behaviour and their willingness to keep those people-smuggling rings alive.

Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Clearly, the minister is shocked by the South Eastern Melbourne Medicare Local letter. Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I refer the minister to the government's commitment during budget estimates this year to respond by mid-June to the request by state and territory police for access to the address details of thousands of illegal boat arrivals released into the community, especially in Western Sydney. Has the government provided this information to state and territory police so they can do their job? If not, why not?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Once again, the low road. Once again, cheap politics. The department is committed to working closely with the AFP and state and territory police to assist with the discharge of their community policing responsibilities. Discussions have been held with the commissioners and the deputy commissioners about information that DIAC might provide to support police and manage any issues that may arise whilst asylum seekers reside in the community. It should be remembered that less than 0.2 per cent of IMA BVE holders have been involved in any allegations of unlawful conduct. Information relating to the location of IMAs in the community will be provided to all state and territory police forces shortly and more detailed address information will be provided once we receive undertakings regarding the security of the data and its use. (Time expired)

Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Minister, what will it take for the government to admit that Labor's 'no care, no responsibility' bridging visa policy is dumping the clear consequences of their border protection failure out into communities with no regard for the impacts on health, law enforcement, state budgets or the resources of charities and other non-government organisations?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It will come as no surprise that I utterly reject the assertions in that question. Before they are released into the community, asylum seekers are assessed and only those with no security, health, identity or significant behavioural issues who might present a risk to the community are granted bridging visas. Bridging visa holders are eligible for 89 per cent of the equivalent Centrelink special benefit and rent assistance, and the Commonwealth covers the cost of Medicare and other services, including case management and psychological counselling. State governments are simply playing politics over the issue of asylum seekers, raising their concerns in the media rather than engaging in constructive dialogue with the Commonwealth. While there is a genuine need identified for more resources to meet the needs of asylum seekers in the community, the Commonwealth works proactively and cooperatively with states and territories to ensure the necessary arrangements are in place. (Time expired)