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

I inform the chamber that Senator Griff will also sponsor this motion. and I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 866 standing in my name and the name of Senator Griff in the terms circulated.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) Wednesday, 20 June 2018 is World Refugee Day 2018;

  (ii) yesterday, on 19 June, the UNHCR reported that 68.5 million people around the world had been forcibly displaced from their homes by the end of 2017,

  (iii) the UNHCR has also previously reported an annual average of 21.5 million people forcibly displaced by weather-related sudden onset hazards – such as floods, storms, wildfires, extreme temperature – each year since 2008, and

  (iv) in 2016:

(A) Australia offered protection to 0.28 per cent of people seeking asylum around the world, and

(B) Australia assisted 1.43 per cent of the 2.5 million refugees who had their status recognised or were resettled worldwide; and

(b) agrees that refugees have contributed significantly to Australian communities and our multicultural society, and supports Australia showing global leadership in settling and supporting refugees.

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) 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

In 2016-17 20,200 offshore humanitarian visas were granted by this coalition government. What the Greens failed to acknowledge is that this is Australia's largest offshore intake since the early 1980s. The number of special humanitarian places for people with immediate family links in Australia has risen 2,000 per cent from 503 places in 2012 under the Labor-Green government to 10,600 places in 2016-17 under the coalition. Humanitarian places now go to people assessed as the most vulnerable offshore with family in Australia, rather than to people smugglers. This motion is just another stunt by the Greens.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the motion moved by Senator McKim be agreed to.