Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
2:00 pm
My question is to the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. Can the minister outline to the Senate the government's procedures for processing people arriving in Australia by boat?
Michaelia Cash WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
I thank the senator for her question.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Seriously, do you need a brief for that?
Michaelia Cash WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
In answer to Senator Wong's interjection—no, I do not because, like all of the Australian people, we are completely aware of the fundamental policy failures of the former government in this particular area. I remind the senator, because she clearly is not aware of the facts, that there is currently a Labor legacy caseload of over 30,000 people who arrived under the former government and who are currently onshore and not in detention centres. Under the former government the detention centre capacity became exhausted—
Stephen Conroy Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
On a point of order, Mr President: this is an issue of relevance. The minister was asked a very specific question about current process, procedure and administration and at no point, with almost half the time gone, has the minister attempted to answer the question. This is identical to yesterday, when they refused to provide any answer at all and in fact said, 'We intend to not answer a question.' So, Mr President, I ask you to draw the attention of the minister to the question and invite her to answer it.
John Hogg President
There is no point of order at this stage. I am listening closely to the minister's answer.
Michaelia Cash WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
As I was saying, this government is working calmly, methodically and practically—unlike the former government—to stop the boats. We had a Labor caseload legacy of in excess of 30,000 people who are currently onshore, a caseload that the former government did not advise the Australian people they did not begin processing—
Claire Moore Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women
On a point of order, Mr President: another 10 to 15 seconds have passed; we have 34 seconds left in this answer and we still have not heard anything about current policy.
Honourable senators interjecting—
John Hogg President
The minister has 34 seconds remaining and I draw her attention to the question.
Michaelia Cash WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
In relation to what this government is going to be doing with the over 30,000 people which the former government let into the community and failed to even commence the processing of—
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
On a point of order, Mr President: this is bordering on contempt. The minister was asked—and I will repeat the question for her benefit—can the minister outline to the Senate the government's procedures for processing people arriving in Australia by boat? That was it. She has not even come close to the question.
John Hogg President
As I said, I am listening carefully to the minister's response. The minister, at the 34-second mark, was reminded of the need to address the question and the minister still has 24 seconds remaining to do so.
Michaelia Cash WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
In relation to the over 30,000 people that the former government failed to process, this government has been up-front and stated to the Australian people that we have restored temporary protection visas. In relation to the minister's question about what we will be doing in relation to people who come to Australia, perhaps the minister needs to read our policy.
Kim Carr Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science
You are the minister!
Michaelia Cash WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
Under our policy no-one is coming to Australia.
Opposition senators interjecting—
John Hogg President
Order! When there is silence on my left, I will call Senator Wong.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Apparently the boat that arrived previously was a phantom boat.
John Hogg President
Order! If you wish to debate the issue, the time to debate it is after 3 o'clock.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
2:01 pm
Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister outline to the Senate the actual procedures followed in relation to medical and security checks for these arrivals?
Michaelia Cash WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
2:07 pm
Senator Wong will be well aware that anybody who attempts to come to Australia under this government will not be coming into Australia. Those who attempt the illegal journey to Australia are turned around within 48 hours and they are transferred to either Manus Island or Nauru. As I have stated, unlike the former government, who lost control of Australia's borders, this government has been very clear. In relation to Labor's legacy case load—
Claire Moore Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women
Mr President, I rise on a point of order on relevance. I did try to leave a good period to allow the minister to respond; however, the question was about health checks and we have not heard the word 'health' yet.
Michaelia Cash WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
As I stated, those who attempt to come to Australia under this government will not enter Australia. They will be turned around within 48 hours and sent to either Manus Island or Nauru for processing. In relation to the over 30,000 people that are Labor's case load legacy, we will be issuing them, if they are successful, with temporary protection visas.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
2:09 pm
Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Have the reported 19 Somali asylum seekers who arrived in Darwin on Monday now been transferred to either Manus Island or Nauru in line with the government's policy?
Michaelia Cash WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
As I have already stated, this government does not run a shipping news service for people smugglers, unlike the former government. We promised to run a military-led operation to stop the boats, and stopping the boats is exactly what this government has done in just the few weeks it has been in office.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Senators:
Opposition senators interjecting—
John Hogg President
Senators wishing to debate the issue can do so after 3 o'clock.
Michaelia Cash WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
Before the election, the coalition made clear to the Australian public the policy that they would be voting on, and we said that clear communication protocols would be set by those running Operation Sovereign Borders. It is this government that is running Operation Sovereign Borders. We are setting the communication protocols and consistent with those protocols a further update will be provided tomorrow.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Mr President, I rise on a point of order on relevance. The minister was asked about 19 Somali asylum seekers who had arrived in Australia. She was asked a specific question about whether or not they had been transferred. She has not even come close to answering the question.
John Hogg President
As I have said in the past, I cannot instruct a minister how to give an answer or what to answer.
Michaelia Cash WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
This government will not be assisting people smugglers like the former government did. We all know how that ended.