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

As I was saying, the question for this parliament will not be about the endorsement of a particular plan, whether it be the Malaysia arrangement or some other plan. It will be a legal question—a legislative question—on whether a government should have the power to transfer asylum seekers to third countries, yes or no. The Leader of the Opposition has accepted an invitation to some further briefings on these matters tomorrow. I am very glad to see that. Hopefully—I do genuinely hope this—beyond those briefings the Leader of the Opposition and the opposition generally will see their way clear to agreeing with the government that executive government should have that power.

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