Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

As I was saying, a little earlier today I wrote to the Leader of the Opposition and advised him that the government would ensure that relevant officials, including the Solicitor-General, were able on Friday to brief him on the legislative amendments. I trust that he will take that briefing. I know that he has been looking for one, so I am sure that something can be organised that suits his convenience.

The important fact here is having the legislation in the right form to enable government to make the decisions that it wants to in relation to the processing and transfer of asylum seekers. I understand that the Leader of the Opposition does not view favourably the government's arrangement with Malaysia. I believe the government of Malaysia will honour the obligations it has freely taken upon itself. The Leader of the Opposition may well form a different view about the merits of the Malaysia arrangement, but there is only one question that will come before this parliament and that question will be the amendments to the Migration Act. I will be asking the Leader of the Opposition to deal with those amendments in the national interest.

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