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

I'm very pleased to have the opportunity to speak to these very significant appropriations and, in doing so, to recognise the very significant work being done by my colleagues in the Home Affairs portfolio, Minister O'Neil and Senator Watt. Senator Watt, really, from day one, has been getting on with the very challenging work of his responsibilities in this portfolio, in addition to those in the agricultural space. We as a nation have been confronted with very significant natural disasters, and he has led from the front in coordinating the response. Critically, this has been a response that has combined dealing urgently, compassionately and effectively with Australians in need with recognising the longer term challenges. These challenges are, of course, compounded by nearly a decade of inaction when it comes to climate change. That is not something this government is continuing.

I want to recognise the significant investments that are being made to continue his good work in the portfolio and those that are the direct responsibility of the Minister for Home Affairs and the Minister for Cyber Security. I think all of us in question time today heard from Minister O'Neil about how critical our government's focus on cybersecurity is. It is an issue that affects every Australian—an issue that needs to be at the forefront of our response. It is an issue this government, through these appropriations and more broadly, takes with the utmost seriousness, as it does the national security dimensions of the Home Affairs portfolio and, of course, the policy leadership that Minister O'Neil is providing through the work that she is leading on the Migration Strategy. This is long-overdue work that is critical to the national interest.

That work is meaningful in and of itself, but it is particularly so because it recognises the consequences to all of us of nine wasted years. There were nine wasted years and also the period of the pandemic. The consequences of this in a modern nation that has been built on immigration cannot be overstated. Responding to these challenges—families separated, a jobs and skills crisis and an immigration system not working in concert with our domestic skilling system—was the immediate focus of the Albanese government and all of us in the Home Affairs portfolio.

We have built a strong foundation in terms of responding to this critical question of having administrative functions within the immigration department that work. I'm so pleased that, due to the work of outstanding women and men, we have gotten on top of the visa backlog. We have got our immigration system moving again. Investments in this budget continue the good work. This rests on the fantastic work of Home Affairs staff—people who understand their role, people who are committed to it, people who are also committed to and recognise the national interest in efficient visa processing.

We are seeing some fantastic outcomes: in the temporary system, we're seeing turnarounds of visas in critical areas in the regions in a matter of two days; and we're also seeing very significant improvements in permanent processing, reflecting, of course, the emphasis of our government on promoting pathways to permanency, another important feature of this budget. Similarly, we have seen recognition of the critical importance of the citizenship function. I'm very pleased that now the citizenship backlog is at its lowest point in six years. Again, this is something that has come about not by accident but by focus and, of course, by considered investments, recognising the enormous value we must place on citizenship. I talked about pathways to permanency; of course, Australian citizenship is the ultimate step in that. It's something that I think all of us in this place regard as a great privilege—to be associated with that critical moment which is, often, for some people, the most critical moment in their life, that final step towards full participation in the Australian community. So I say with some pleasure but not yet satisfaction that this budget builds on those successes when it comes to enabling the pathway to citizenship.

In my portfolio responsibilities, there's a critically important third thing: it's Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs. I'm very pleased that we are building, through these appropriations, a deeper conversation that goes towards really recognising and harnessing the benefits of our diversity. We are the best multicultural society in the world, but we can be so much better. We have so much more work to do, and we will do that through more effectively integrating the functions of immigration, citizenship and multicultural affairs and doing more active listening with the diversity that makes up Australia. That is provided for in these appropriations.

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