Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am sorry his expectations are not going to be met, Mr Speaker.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I did not necessarily mean that they would either.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to the fact that, based on the current rate of arrivals, the Malaysia people swap ceiling of 800 boat people will be reached before November. Has the government sought any advice from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship on what its policy should be after that?

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I believe the parliament is now well aware, given the number of questions on this issue this week, the government has received and is relying on advice about the deterrence effect of the arrangement with Malaysia. That is the truth. It may be an uncomfortable truth for those opposite, but that is the truth. We have made that briefing and advice available to those opposite. I do not ask that the opposition therefore endorse the government's policies and plans, but I do believe that it is in the national interest that the government of this country, whether it is this government or a government five, 10, 15 years down the track, has the powers that it needs to process asylum seekers offshore and to transfer them to other countries if it chooses to do so. Ultimately, the only proposition that will come before this parliament will not be the endorsement of the Malaysia arrangement; it will not be endorsement of the construction of a centre in PNG; it will not be endorsement of the construction of a centre in Nauru. It will be whether or not executive government should have the power to transfer asylum seekers to third countries. I am in favour of that.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on a point of order. The Prime Minister is not being relevant to the question. The question asked was: what is plan B? That is the question she needs to answer.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Prime Minister is aware of the responsibilities she has under the standing orders. If she is responding, as I have said before, to the question in total, I am not empowered to dictate the way in which the question is answered. The Prime Minister is responding.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was saying, the question for this parliament will not be about the endorsement of a particular plan, whether it be the Malaysia arrangement or some other plan. It will be a legal question—a legislative question—on whether a government should have the power to transfer asylum seekers to third countries, yes or no. The Leader of the Opposition has accepted an invitation to some further briefings on these matters tomorrow. I am very glad to see that. Hopefully—I do genuinely hope this—beyond those briefings the Leader of the Opposition and the opposition generally will see their way clear to agreeing with the government that executive government should have that power.