Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The question in part went to the availability of public housing stock in Australia and it was followed by an intelligently targeted interjection by an opposition backbencher about why there was an undersupply of public housing in Australia. I am responding to both elements, including the public housing element of the question asked by the member for Farrer.

Of course, the logical flaw contained in the question is this. First of all, when it comes to any asylum seeker anywhere, there is the whole question of assessment and processing of the individual. Secondly, what happens once processing occurs is that if a person has been determined not to be a bona fide refugee in one part of the world or another they are sent back to the country from which they came. As I informed the House yesterday in terms of an arrival of a boatload of some 50 individuals back in April, two thirds of those were sent back to Sri Lanka in the course of the last week or so. That is normal process. Thirdly, in the case of the identification of those who do have bona fide refugee status, what then occurs when it comes to offshore processing in the case of Indonesia is that negotiations occur with resettlement countries, as has been the practice since time immemorial. Fourthly, consistent with the arrival of refugees in this country or any other country, the normal provision of social services applies. That is the law and that is how it has been for a long, long time.

I go back to some fundamental principles in this debate. Those opposite have refused to take a policy on this throughout the entire debate. Their entire agenda has been to whip up fear and concern in the Australian community. They are being all fear and no solutions. Furthermore, here we are in this week of a critical debate on climate change, and not a single question on climate change. Not a single question on the economy. Not a single question on health or education. They are only interested in whipping up a fear campaign on the question of asylum seekers—the Liberal Party we have known for a long, long time.

From day one, those on this boat sought to demand that they come to Australia for processing and from day one this government’s resolve has been clear—that they should be processed in Indonesia. And that is what is happening.

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