Stephen Bates (Brisbane, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Refugees and asylum seekers contribute social, cultural and economic strength to our country, and communities across Australia are eager to welcome them and ready to lend a hand to rebuild their lives, understanding that these are people who have been forced to flee their homes out of threat of persecution. Today is a shameful day for this new government, who have chosen to suspend parliament in order to uphold the inhumane practice of offshore detention that tortures, degrades and vilifies refugees and asylum seekers. As we heard, Labor introduced mandatory detention 26 years ago, and the LNP turned it into mandatory offshore detention four years later. Both have upheld the practice and share responsibility for these crimes against humanity. And I want to say, just because a policy is 'settled' does not mean it is right.

The Greens are the only political party committed to drastically improving Australia's approach to refugees and asylum seekers. Today Greens senator Nick McKim introduced a bill to evacuate all asylum seekers who are languishing in Australian offshore detention centres. His bill would bring them back to Australia until they have somewhere that is safe and long term to live.

I've also been inspired today by an address delivered inside this very building by refugee Behrouz Boochani. He was one of many refugees the previous immigration minister touted would never come to Australia. So, it was incredible to hear him speak in support of closing the Nauru and Manus Island detention centres, ending offshore detention, and for the permanent resettlement in Australia of all refugees who are currently on temporary protection visas. I speak in solidarity with him and the thousands of lives that have been destroyed by successive governments.

All sides of politics should act with basic humanity and compassion and should fulfil Australia's moral and legal responsibilities to provide fair, transparent and consistent treatment to those who are vulnerable, persecuted or displaced from our global community. This is what Australians want. According to Amnesty International and their Australian Human rights barometer of last year, Australians want to end offshore detention. Seventy-four percent of respondents agreed that if people are found to be refugees then they should be settled in Australia, as opposed to settled or detained offshore. A total of 60 per cent of respondents agreed that the federal government spends way too much money on keeping asylum seekers in detention.

At a time when Australians are facing extraordinary economic hardship, the Australian government's decision to award a $420 million contract to a United States private prison operator is not only a desperate attempt to continue operation of the government's offshore detention program; it is a huge waste. Let's be clear: these private operators are profiting off of suffering and misery. Our offshore detention camps are a stain on our national conscience, and history will judge us. Today we have had the opportunity to undo decades-long adherence to cruel and inhumane practices against some of the most vulnerable people on the planet, and I'm endlessly disgusted by this decision of the government. I would like to finish with a strong message to those refugee communities in my electorate and across this country that I won't stop fighting for you and your rights to safety and freedom.

See this speech in context