Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Seniors) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. We listened to the minister in relative silence; I think it would be polite if he could do the same. The fact is that, when we originally utilised Nauru under John Howard, in dealing with the difficult problem we had, we in fact were able to apply Australian law and it was administered by Australian law. That was the importance of section 198 of the Migration Act; it enabled us to be in control. But the minister would like to do away with that, because the High Court ruled against him for not having effectively done his work. He was unable to convince the High Court that any of the undertakings he had got were enforceable at law and therefore were meaningless in terms of that piece of legislation. Thus, having instead the requirement that we choose a country which is a signatory to the convention means that there will be protection of the human rights of those people.

It would seem that the minister is perfectly happy for this trade in human flesh, which the government purport to be a good solution and which I will always reject as totally unacceptable, and to put people at risk of being birched or having other things done to them. All the minister can say in return is that he has received undertakings—and yet that is precisely what the High Court said was not acceptable and did not meet the requirements of the law.

Therefore, I think it is seemly that the government should vote to allow the motion to suspend standing and sessional orders to succeed. We would indeed, as the Manager of Opposition Business said, have the 76 votes required for that suspension and the bill could then be debated. Alternatively, the minister at the table could, if he decided to, grant leave and the legislation could be debated. So the government has two choices which would allow a solution—not another talkfest but a solution—to be reached this morning.

I saw the Prime Minister on the television last night, saying what a shame and what a terrible thing it was that the parliament had not come to a solution but had reached an impasse. So this is an opportunity which the member for Denison, of his own volition, has brought forward and it is one that the government should accept. We will, first, accept his motion to suspend and, second, support the bill he is bringing forth, as it was originally brought forth by the member for Cook.

So I say to the minister and to those government members present: act as you have spoken in the debate and support the motion. (Time expired)

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