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

I'll just say again that our concern is always to retain community safety. We fought to resist the decision that ultimately the High Court handed down. Again I say that this was for reasons that, I think, unite us in this place.

In terms of the question directly put at the end of the shadow minister's question, I have to say two things. Firstly, as he and the Leader of the Opposition would well know, I can't comment on individual cases. I can say that the requirements of state and territory orders for a person in the circumstances he described as well as the stringent visa conditions require us to be certain about where such a person is located—I think he would understand that—so that we can ensure community safety.

I spoke yesterday about the measures we put in place before the decision was handed down to ensure coordination with state and territory law enforcement authorities prior to the decision being handed down in the event that any releases were required. This requires us to take steps, including the steps that ordinarily apply for someone who is released from a form of detention with the Status Resolution Support Services. It is absolutely critical that we enable us to have certainty as to where someone is, particularly a person who is guilty of the sorts of offences that you described and is subject to state obligations—perhaps somebody on the child sex offenders register, which obviously restricts the places in which they can reside—

An honourable member interjecting—

A paedophile, yes. They should be restricted in where they can live. That requires us to work towards that. (Time expired)

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