Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Justice, Customs and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Acting Prime Minister, Mr Swan. I remind the Acting Prime Minister of his statement to the House on Monday that there are no plans for a detention centre in the Cocos Islands. How does he reconcile that statement with the fact, confirmed by Customs, that the current quarantine station and cyclone shelter are being considered right now for the housing of future illegal arrivals?

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. I will say it again: the government is not building or operating an immigration detention centre in the Cocos Islands and has no plans to do so, which is what I said yesterday. But when they arrive, if they are not flown off the island, they have to be accommodated for a short period somewhere on the island. That is just common sense. The government has no plans to build a detention centre on the island: I want to repeat that. This is just part of the attempt by those opposite to demonise asylum seekers and conduct their political campaign.

Yesterday I was asked a question about rodents on the island. I am not surprised to get that sort of question because those opposite spend so much time in the sewer. I was not surprised at all. The truth is there are no plans to build a detention centre in the Cocos Islands.