Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

Today the immigration minister exercised his power under section 197AB of the Migration Act to make a residence determination to allow the Sri Lankan family currently held in detention to reside in the Perth community. In making this determination, he balanced the government's ongoing commitment to strong border protection processes—and there is a process that is being worked through, and I appreciate there is still a legal process which is being worked through with this family. But we are providing the humanitarian support. We are providing the necessary health support. We are providing the necessary economic support. It is a bit rich, and I will not be lectured by Labor, who, on their watch, put 8,500 children in detention—8,500 in detention—as part of nearly 50,000 people who arrived on boats, on 800 boats. I will not take lectures. I was here when, sadly, people who tried that risky voyage were dashed up against the rocks and did not survive. We do not know how many people lost their lives attempting to make that risky voyage. Labor put more beds in detention centres than they ever did into hospitals in the medical system.

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