Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Hansard source

I am happy to do that. This centre is very important, as I say, in ensuring we provide a deterrence to people getting on unseaworthy vessels.

Opposition members interjecting—

I do not know why it is funny when I am talking about people dying at sea. I met with the minister for immigration, who is also the minister for foreign affairs, when I was in PNG, and I made it very clear that we will work together to ensure that transferees are going into the centre appropriately. What we have done to date is transfer people into that centre, which I believe and the government believes will deter people from getting on unseaworthy vessels. We will continue to work with the PNG government. It is the host country and, indeed, the primary government making decisions in relation to these transferees. I can assure you of this: we will continue to transfer people in consultation with and, ultimately, by the authority of the PNG government to ensure that there are fewer opportunities for and chances of people endangering their lives at sea. We will continue to do that not only in Manus Province but also in Nauru.

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