Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Hansard source

I can confirm that all the costings in relation to the agreement with Malaysia have been very thoroughly prepared in consultation with not only my department but the department of finance. They have been based on estimates of the costs of transferring 800 people. It may not be that we transfer 800 people to Malaysia; it may be that fewer than that arrive, in which case we would not transfer 800 people to Malaysia. But it is the case that there will be payments to organisations, such as the International Organisation for Migration, and that if we transferred fewer than 800 people then the full costs outlined would not be accrued.

I can confirm to the honourable member and to the House that those costs are based on the transfer of 800 people. I think that therefore answers the honourable member's question as to whether it is on a per capita basis or an upfront basis. It will depend on the number of people transferred. Of course, the payments will be in relation to people actually transferred and the costs are borne by organisations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and, particularly, the International Organisation for Migration.

In relation to the facility that the honourable member refers to, we will be saying more about that when we announce further details. It is the case, as I have said previously—and the Malaysian government has confirmed this—that people will not be detained in Malaysia for any long period, that they will be held in a facility that is not an existing detention facility. Of course, that would be a facility currently in the ownership or, at least, in the care and control of the Malaysian government. We will be cooperating with the Malaysian government to ensure appropriate facilities are in place.

I can say to the honourable member in relation to his question about RELA that RELA is, as the honourable member correctly points out, a non-government organisation in Malaysia but one which does have certain powers. As I have previously said, repeatedly, that people transferred from Australia to Malaysia will not be treated as illegal migrants under the purposes of Malaysian law, but rather as people transferred by agreement between two sovereign governments, Australia and Malaysia. And so, of course, the Malaysian government will be putting measures in place to ensure that they are dealt with appropriately. The honourable member referred to Papua New Guinea and operational costs. Can I say that this government, when it enters into discussions with another government, makes prudent allocations for operational costs. The honourable member opposite talks about Nauru. I would be interested in what his allocation for operational costs for Nauru are. I would be interested to see the honourable member—he will get five minutes—outline what his prudent allocation for the operational cost of Nauru would be. Our prudent allocation for the operational cost of a regional processing centre is in the vicinity of $130 million. He says it would be a fraction of $130 million for a centre which would presumably be for 1,500 people. I know why he can say it will be a fraction of $130 million. It is because under the previous government they hid the cost. They spread the cost right across the government—they hid it in the overseas development aid budget; they hid it in the Defence budget—because they were so ashamed of the operational cost of Nauru.

Mr Morrison interjecting—

We have made a clear allocation in the budget for operational cost. It is a prudent allocation for a regional processing centre should one proceed. That is the prudent thing for this government to do, the responsible and sensible thing for this government to do, while the opposition engages in its short-term slogans and refuses to even pretend that it will have any operational costs.

Mr Morrison interjecting—

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