Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. I will say it again: the government is not building or operating an immigration detention centre in the Cocos Islands and has no plans to do so, which is what I said yesterday. But when they arrive, if they are not flown off the island, they have to be accommodated for a short period somewhere on the island. That is just common sense. The government has no plans to build a detention centre on the island: I want to repeat that. This is just part of the attempt by those opposite to demonise asylum seekers and conduct their political campaign.

Yesterday I was asked a question about rodents on the island. I am not surprised to get that sort of question because those opposite spend so much time in the sewer. I was not surprised at all. The truth is there are no plans to build a detention centre in the Cocos Islands.

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