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

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs, Senator Watt. Minister, offshore detention has been a humanitarian catastrophe. It has resulted in murder; death; rape; child abuse, including child sex abuse; armed assault by military forces; and deliberate government sponsored attempts to kill people by withholding food, drinking water, electricity and medical support. It was deliberately designed to harm innocent people, including children, by making their lives so unbearable that they were coerced into returning to the dangers that displaced them from their homes in the first place. The cruelty was a feature, not a bug, and now there are credible allegations of serious and systemic corruption involving millions of dollars of Australian government money. Will the government establish a royal commission into immigration detention? (Time expired)

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator McKim, for the question. Last week I think we all saw that a number of very serious issues were raised concerning the administration and governance of regional processing contracts and payments under the former coalition government. These are concerning allegations, and Mr Dutton, as the former home affairs minister, has a responsibility to explain what happened on his watch as home affairs minister. When these revelations came out, the government sought and received an immediate assurance that contracting and payments were being made according to law under this government. But we do need to get to the bottom of what has happened with taxpayers' money. As soon as these matters were raised, the government took action to be assured that governance arrangements were appropriate and called for evidence to be shared with the appropriate authorities.

Senator McKim, you may not have been aware of this, but just before question time today the Minister for Home Affairs announced that the government will appoint Mr Dennis Richardson, AC, a former secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Director-General of ASIO, to conduct a review of integrity concerns and governance arrangements for the management of regional processing administration by the Department of Home Affairs. These issues do merit detailed and thorough examination, and the review will consider them in the wider context of serious issues that have emerged over many years. It will not canvass the policy of regional processing itself. The review will cover any integrity concerns about contracting arrangements regarding regional processing, whether public or otherwise, including the allegations and concerns raised by 60 Minutes and the Nine papers; the department's governance arrangements, oversight processes and systems for managing offshore processing, current and historic, including in relation to the engagement of subcontractors by head contractors; and any other related concerns regarding arrangements for regional processing administration.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKim, a first supplementary?

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

Minister, offshore detention is one of the darkest and bloodiest chapters in Australia's story. Unless we have a royal commission, with its independence, with its transparency, with its rigour, with its public hearings and powers to compel evidence and testimony, how are we ever going to write the conclusion to that chapter? Don't you agree that the matters you've just outlined are too narrowly scoped and will ultimately result in a cover-up, not the answers we need? (Time expired)

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) | Link to this | Hansard source

No, this government does not have any intention or desire to assist with a cover-up of the claim that Senator McKim is making in his usual overreaching style. I have, and the government has, full confidence in Dennis Richardson as one of the most esteemed public servants this country has produced to deliver a fully independent and thorough review. That's why we have appointed him to do so. In conducting the review, Mr Richardson will have regard to any previous and ongoing investigations, including by the AFP, AUSTRAC and the National Anti-Corruption Commission. He will seek information as appropriate and necessary from any Commonwealth agencies to support this inquiry. I can confirm that the minister has sought the full collaboration of her department in this regard. So we have full confidence that this is the appropriate way to handle what are very serious allegations and we have every intention of getting to the bottom of them.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKim, a second supplementary?

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

(—) (): Minister, given the repeated excoriating reports into the Department of Home Affairs by the Australian National Audit Office, the extensive criticisms of the department by multiple Senate inquiries and the department's ongoing failures to meet the most basic governance, oversight and probity standards, how can your government possibly have confidence in the secretary of the department, Mr Pezzullo, and will your government stand him down while the Richardson inquiry is ongoing? (Time expired)

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) | Link to this | Hansard source

The short answer to the question is no. The secretary of the department is serving a five-year term, having been reappointed in 2019. The Minister for Home Affairs has sought and has been given assurances that current arrangements for regional processing are lawful and address identified governance risks. But we do acknowledge that there have been serious issues within the home affairs department, particularly during the time that Mr Dutton was the minister. Senator McKim, you will remember that I asked many such question as an opposition senator in Home Affairs estimates. That's why we have now appointed Mr Richardson. I realise that your questions were probably drafted before that was announced.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) | Link to this | Hansard source

You are clearly not interested in the answer, but we have full confidence that Mr Richardson will get to the bottom of what are some very serious issues and provide the government with high-quality advice about how these issues should be managed going forward.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll just remind you, Senator Watt, to direct your responses to the chair.