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

I thank the honourable member for his question, which goes to what is being done in the national interest to tackle people-smuggling. This week, debate started in the House on the legislation moved by the honourable member for Lyne. That legislation would allow the government of the day to implement deterrence to dangerous boat journeys to Australia. It is legislation that the government will support in the national interest. The bill from the member for Lyne would allow the minister to designate a country if it is part of the Bali process, if the minister is satisfied with the protections and, perhaps most importantly, if the country involved agrees to be a partner with Australia in that endeavour.

It is very important that the country involved agree to receive people transferred. For example, a minister could not be satisfied with the protections in place if that country had not agreed to receive people. Whether people are being removed from Australia by boat or by plane, I would have thought it would be evident to most reasonable people that you would actually have to have the agreement of the country in question.

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