Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is good to have this opportunity to speak on the Migration Amendment (Character Cancellation Consequential Provisions) Bill 2016. This is certainly a bill about accountability. It is about the expectations that this country has of people who come to our shores—the expectation that the law will be abided by and that people will fulfil responsibilities to act in a way that is good for the community. It is one of the things that is obvious to us all—how often issues regarding crime and antisocial behaviour are genuine concerns that people relay to us. People want to feel safe in their homes; they want to feel safe on the streets. They do not like to see crime committed on the streets. They like to see their suburbs in the best possible way. Not just federally but at all levels—federal, state and local—it is right that we are all focused on the primary concern of government: keeping people safe.

Just on Sunday I was at Harmony Day at Ballajura at Karijini Oval, and the issue that came up quite often was: what was happening in the local carparks. Karijini Oval is right next to South Ballajura Primary School. There is a car park on one side. There is the main entrance to the primary school on one side. Wyperfeld Gardens is the name of that street. And on the other side—Badgingarra Gardens and Karijini Court—there is another car park. Both car parks, as I understand it, are owned by the Department of Education. Basically they are provided for the school.

What irritates local people is when, as early in the day as 5.30 pm, in the school's main car park, there are people selling drugs. It is a terrible thing. On the other side, on the Badgingarra side, I have been told that the PE teacher has had to go out and clean up needles and even condoms in that car park before the kids move through the car park to go to a set of basketball courts or across to the Karijini Oval next to it. These are the things that obviously worry people and that do not impress people.

Someone said to me, 'Ballajura, or this part of Ballajura, used to be good when I first moved here.' I think that, really, Ballajura is still good.

I had the opportunity just yesterday to speak to the policeman responsible, Senior Sergeant Wal Brierley of Ellenbrook Police Station. He is aware of the issues in Ballajura. And it is good. The police work very hard there, and I commend them for the work they do. I asked him and one of his sergeants, 'Where do these troubles come from in Ballajura? A lot of people do talk about them.' He said to me that, a lot of the time, crime is inflated by social media and there are perceptions that it is worse than it is. I think that is probably right. I said, 'Where do the people who are responsible for the volume crimes—the burglaries, assaults et cetera—come from?' He said, 'Well, there are some domestic issues in Ballajura. Probably, in a suburb of over 6½ thousand houses, that is not surprising.' But he did say that most of the burglaries are committed by people who come from outside the suburb. So, whilst I have mentioned these great and serious concerns about drug dealing and other antisocial or criminal acts that might be taking place around South Ballajura Primary School, there are very good people in Ballajura and they need to be protected and defended, because most people are not involved in crime and the numbers of local people involved seem to be very small indeed.

South Ballajura Primary School is not far from the South Ballajura shops where, sadly, the antisocial actions of a small number of people have caused Australia Post to temporarily close their SPB, their street posting box, at that shopping centre. It is a small shopping centre. It has a Woolworths and a number of other little shops—a coffee shop et cetera. But it is only about 500 metres from the school. So you have these two places where not good things happen. But what a great example this is of an opportunity where CCTV could be of benefit. So I look forward to working with the police and the City of Swan and the Department of Education to progress that sort of option because I think it is a good one for local people to protect the good people of Ballajura from those who would seek to make their lives harsh and difficult. I do look forward to that.

More specifically on this bill, a lot has been said and written recently about the number of people who have had their visas cancelled on character grounds and are in the process of being deported. I saw a media report which said that it was over 1,050 people. And I think that that is great. I think that is absolutely great.

I think that it is important that, again, when we get down to accountability, there are expectations in this country, when people swear the oath or make the affirmation for their citizenship, that they will obey the rules and the laws of this country. That is not specific to this bill or really about this bill, but obviously we now have laws in this country whereby those involved in terrorism, if they are dual citizens, can have their citizenship revoked and be deported, after all the usual processes. And that is also very good news. I am very pleased to be part of a government that brought that law to the parliament and that it has now passed through the parliament.

But, as I said before, there are over 1,000 people who have had their visas cancelled who are in the process of being deported or have been deported—people involved with bikie gangs; people involved in organised crime—who basically, again, having failed the character test, are now facing that moment of accountability where they have not shown that they are good citizens and that they have been involved in things that are not part of being a good member of this Australian society. So, again, accountability is now coming home to roost. I think we are up to 19 bikies who have had their visas cancelled and have either been deported or are in the process of being deported. I think that is outstanding. And I do believe that the crime to do with drugs is going to be impacted by these sorts of good decisions. I think we should be very firm with people who place our society at risk.

All over the country crime remains an issue. All over the country ice is increasingly an issue. We hear about that all the time, whether it is in the regional centres, in the country or in the suburbs. It is through measures like this that the federal government helps our state and territory colleagues, and even local governments, to combat the organisations that are behind some of this drug manufacture and distribution. I think that that is exactly what we should be doing.

I very much appreciate this bill. This bill has clarified and fixed up a few small issues with regard to the overall issue of visa cancellation on the basis of character issues. We should be doing exactly this sort of work to help all of those involved in the fight against drugs and the fight against criminal behaviour on the streets of our cities. On that basis, I will remind the House that the two key amendments involved with this specific bill are to make sure that removals can be conducted and that there are no issues with that, and to make sure that it is absolutely authorised and is a very appropriate and simple process with regard to dealing with those who seek to have their cancellation overturned. That is important. Also, there is the amendment that the AFP may have the information significant to the decision but which would be detrimental if made available to the person seeking revocation. That is an important part as well—having the information that is necessary for the best and simplest visa cancellation process. These are the things that will be achieved through this amendment.

I look at these sorts of laws and this sort of legislation and I see a very direct correlation between the work that we can do here in the parliament and what is taking place on the ground in our suburbs. Sadly, in the drug trade, for instance, there are small operators. There is no doubt about it. But ultimately, in so many cases, there are levels of organised crime involved. Sometimes it is bikies; sometimes it is others. It is not always the case that people are arrested, charged and convicted. When you have these sort of laws where you can look at the character of people involved and at their organisations and associates, they will help keep our streets safe. That legal ability which is successful, normally, before the courts and in the appeal process. It is so important that we have these sorts of capacities.

I look at places like Ballajura and other places around Perth and around the electorate of Cowan as well—whether it is Lockridge, Beechboro or Wanneroo—and I know that in all these places there are drug issues. Fundamentally, the suburbs are full of great people who just want a safe life, a good life and a good future for their families and themselves. There is no doubt about that. But we must have every available option to deal with those who are creating these problems on the streets. We must look for things like this which can help the state police, territory police and federal police deal with these sorts of problems. If we can get these people who are potentially up to no good out of the country because they are not citizens, we should certainly use all of these options.

Together with the other actions that the government has taken with our Safer Streets Program, particularly with CCTV and lighting in the suburbs, these are the ways in which we, here in the federal parliament, can help out there on the streets to make sure the lives of people are as good as they can be. I commend this bill to the House.

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