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

Thank you, Mr Speaker. What we negotiated with the Malaysian government was a commitment to nonrefoulement, the fundamental principle of the refugee convention. What we negotiated is work rights for the people transferred. What we negotiated is that people will be treated with dignity and respect in accordance with human rights standards.

The member for Cook knows this because he went on a little fact-finding mission to Malaysia. He went on a little trip and took a little home video, which was very thoughtful. He stood outside a detention centre and said, 'This is where people will be sent.' Wrong. He said, 'People wouldn't have work rights.' Wrong. He was proven wrong on every single point. The negotiations resulted in the arrangement as announced and as outlined.

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