Andrew Giles (Scullin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Well, the Leader of the National Party had a different take than the shadow minister for immigration on this matter. Perhaps he's scoffing because he was pretty keen for an invitation. Perhaps he wasn't allowed to come, and—

An honourable member: I was glad in the end you refused.

I was very keen for the shadow minister for immigration to come. I always enjoy my interactions with the member for Wannon and I'm very disappointed that he was denied the opportunity to participate—denied the freedom to participate in that important forum. But a critical outcome of that forum was Minister O'Neil, the Minister for Home Affairs, announcing a migration review. It is important, because it has been a generation since we've had a hard look at our migration system and how it can serve our national interest. This review, headed by three eminent Australians—Martin Parkinson, Joanna Howe and John Azarias—will provide us with the basis, hopefully, to land a broad consensus around the purpose of our system and then to build upon the groundwork that is contained in this budget, which has got our system moving once again.

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