Peter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I know the honourable member for Denison will speak after me. I know he will strongly disagree with what I say. I strongly respect his integrity in that he has come to a different point of view. But this is an issue where nobody has a monopoly on humanity, nobody has a monopoly on good ideas, but the government is endeavouring in a practical way to solve a major problem confronting the country.

We can be proud that our nation provides one of the most generous refugee resettlement programs in the world. I mentioned before that we accept a large number of refugees and we are consistently up there with the United States and Canada in accepting refugees, when many other countries in the world simply do not. Our past record reflects our commitment to fair and just processing of those who have arrived without authorisation. The provisions of the bill before the House will mean that people who arrive on mainland Australia by sea, without authorisation, may be moved to offshore processing facilities in another country for the assessment of any asylum claims. That does not mean that those claims will not be considered carefully and compassionately. But, under this process, those seeking asylum will be taken to offshore processing centres that are safe. They will be cared for and they will have access to a trustworthy process, whereby their refugee status will be determined.

It must be noted that the facilities in these countries are assessed and must meet the criteria set out by the Australian government. Those persons who are taken to the processing centre in Nauru will be accommodated under a visa from that country. Those who, after processing, are found to have legitimate cause for refugee status will be provided with protection while they are prepared for settlement in a third country, and some of those who are processed and found to be genuine refugees may be resettled in Australia. Others may be assisted to plan voluntary return to their homeland.

This bill is all about a balance. It is not extreme legislation. There is an absolute anomaly or incongruity between people who are intercepted before they reach mainland Australia being treated in one way and those who manage to evade that net and land—as recently happened with some Indonesians—in Northern Australia being treated in another. The Migration Amendment (Designated Unauthorised Arrivals) Bill 2006 will not affect Australia’s strong commitment to helping those in need, but it reinforces the fact that while Australia is a large country it has a relatively small population and it has finite resources. We need to establish a principle so that everyone throughout the world knows that the only people allowed to cross our borders will be people who cross the borders with our consent. We will accept a proportion of refugees, as the government has outlined, but we simply cannot subject ourselves to a situation where anybody who happens to get here can stay here. I support the bill and I commend it to the House.

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