Jamie Briggs (Mayo, Liberal Party, Chairman of the Scrutiny of Government Waste Committee) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship. I refer the minister to the following comments by Premier Mike Rann this morning on Adelaide radio:

I got a phone call about an hour before the announcement was made by Julia Gillard essentially telling us what was going to happen. We want to know what it means in terms of the impact on the local community, the impact on police, teachers, schools and health facilities …

Does the minister believe that presiding over rushed decisions without consultation is any way to fix the mess that is the government’s border protection policy?

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. The decision to place detention centres in particular locations has been undertaken by this government under the same process as has been undertaken before under governments of both political persuasions. I can reassure the member for Mayo that of course the Department of Immigration and Citizenship will be entering into considerable discussions with local authorities, as is always the case when a decision like this is taken, and all impacts will be paid for by the Commonwealth, as is always the case. All education costs will be undertaken by the Commonwealth, as is always the case. All health costs will be undertaken by the Commonwealth, as is always the case.