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

Thank you, Deputy Speaker. I will go through, as far as possible, the questions the member for Wannon asked. He made some frankly bizarre remarks about the state of our policy framework vis a vis the past nine years, which, from someone who sat around the cabinet table, is shocking and frankly appalling. You were an architect of the mess that we are trying to clear up. You were not a principal architect but a significant one, and you should accept your share of responsibility for the mess of a decade of neglect. Take responsibility for the cuts.

I am particularly offended by the remarks and the insinuations you made against the staff of the home affairs department and the allegations you made about their decision-making. I think those are not remarks that should be made lightly. They should not be made lightly. I am very proud of the work people do in all the areas in the department for which I have some responsibilities. I think all of us in this place should stand up for the women and men who work in the Australian Public Service. The work we have asked people to do in a number of areas in this department—including those areas for which the shadow minister for home affairs has responsibility—is hard work. It's really important work in the national interest. We should recognise and respect that and not make the sort of allegations that the member just made.

An honourable member interjecting—

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