Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) Australia's offshore processing regime is a deliberately cruel policy that has created humanitarian crises on Manus Island and Nauru,

  (ii) there remain hundreds of men on Manus Island in the care of the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (Mr Dutton) who are suffering greatly because of his decision to cut off their access to drinking water, food, electricity and medication,

  (iii) threats by the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary to use force against detainees at the Manus Island detention centre are unprecedented and potentially highly dangerous, and

  (iv) the men on Manus Island and the men, women and children on Nauru are Australia's responsibility and remain so; and

(b) calls on the Government to end offshore detention, and bring to Australia every person who sought asylum in Australia and who is currently in Papua New Guinea and Nauru.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The coalition government is resolute in its commitment to securing Australia's borders and preventing deaths at sea. Regional processing has been essential to the success of the government's strong and consistent border protection measures. Senator McKim's motion clearly demonstrates that the Greens have learnt nothing from their past mistakes. This motion demonstrates to all Australians that, given the chance, Labor and the Greens would return to the failed policies that resulted in 50,000 people arriving on more than 800 boats and at least 1,200 men, woman and children drowning at sea.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Labor won't be supporting this motion. We believe in strong borders, offshore processing, regional resettlement and boat turnbacks when it's safe to do so, because we know it saves lives at sea. The Turnbull government are in their fifth year of government and have been completely and utterly incompetent at managing Australia's offshore processing centres. Australia has a moral obligation to ensure the men on Manus Island have access to essential services such as security, health and welfare services, which is why the men at the now closed RPC should immediately relocate to alternative accommodation. The stand-off at the now closed Manus Island RPC could have been avoided if the Prime Minister had been clear from the start about refugees' access to essential services and had guaranteed their ongoing safety and security.

Labor will never let people smugglers back in business, and that is why Australia is not and must not be a resettlement option. The Prime Minister must immediately secure other third-country resettlement options with appropriate conditions for eligible refugees.

Question negatived.