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 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship. I remind the minister that yesterday he said he would ask his department to brief him on whether there were any other terrorists being detained in the immigration detention network, in spite of the fact that he only took this action six weeks after first being briefed on a convicted Egyptian jihadist terrorist being held in low-security detention in the Adelaide Hills. Can the minister update the House on the outcome of this briefing?

Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. These, of course, are very serious matters. As I said earlier this week, it is important that the honourable member, and other members who have sought a briefing, get a briefing on those matters. I can, however, confirm in response to the question in relation to that matter that the advice I have received is that there are no other IMAs in the detention network who have been identified as having an Interpol red notice. That is a very important piece of advice and I think it is therefore incumbent upon our agencies to continue to work professionally and dedicate themselves to ensure that they protect the community. I can assure the honourable member our agencies are doing just that.

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

Speaker, I have a supplementary question. Is the minister satisfied that security measures at these facilities such as pool fences like these are satisfactory?

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member will desist from using props.

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

Can the minister guarantee that there are no other terrorists currently being held in low-security facilities like this one in the Adelaide Hills?

Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can I say to the honourable member I have just advised him that there is no such person in the detention network. Indeed. I have also been advised that there is no-one in the detention network that would pertain to the descriptions—

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Manager of Opposition Business, I am struggling to see how the minister's answer is not relevant.

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

Speaker, on a point of order: I am happy to explain that the minister just said that he had answered the question before. In fact, all he said was that people with an Interpol red notice were not being held in detention.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Manager for Opposition Business will resume his seat. Before I give the minister the call, points of order on relevance are not for debate.

Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can assure the honourable member that our agencies—the department of immigration, the security agency ASIO and the Australian Federal Police—will continue to ensure that they protect the interests of the Australian people. I have been advised that there are no others in the detention network that are on the red notice and I have been advised that the agencies continue to properly assess the situation in the detention network to protect the interests of the Australian people.