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

Well, no amount of screaming will change the facts and I am going to advise the parliament of the facts. All asylum seekers are subject to the following security checks, which are assessed against comprehensive intelligence holdings that compile information from the AFP, ASIO, Customs and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. This happens upon arrival, when being considered for community detention or release on a bridging visa E, when having been found to meet the definition of a refugee and when applying for a subsequent visa or citizenship. These are rigorous checks designed to identify visa applicants or visa holders whose entry into or continued stay in Australia may present a risk to national security.

During the course of this week in question time there has been some discussion of the recent review of the administration and expenditure of Australia's intelligence agencies tabled on Monday by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. Indeed, I think the Leader of the Opposition himself was talking up the significance and rigour of that report. I would remind the House that when it came to visa security, the joint committee that the Leader of the Opposition spoke so glowingly about found that 'it was satisfied that the current regime for visa security assessments is the correct one'.

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