Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Is the Prime Minister aware that her government has taken no steps to remove from Australia the convicted Egyptian jihadist terrorist previously held in the Adelaide Hills, despite the fact that this individual remains the subject of an Interpol Red Notice and is not under the protection of the refugee convention where there is a national security threat? Why is the Prime Minister continuing to give the benefit of the doubt to a convicted jihadist terrorist?

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

I assure the shadow minister that we will always put Australia's security interests first. That is what we will do in relation to this individual and that is what we will do generally on the advice of security agencies about the specific treatment of this individual and any police matters involving him.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Speaker, I ask a supplementary question. In relation to this matter and the inquiry the Prime Minister has announced, why does the Prime Minister refuse to include the conduct of her ministers in this independent inquiry into the government's decision to place a convicted jihadist terrorist in low-security family accommodation in the Adelaide Hills?

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

The shadow minister misunderstands the way in which the legislation and the powers of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security work. Let me assure him (1) that she is an independent statutory office holder, (2) that the inspector-general has extensive experience in and strong powers for inquiring into operational matters concerning security and intelligence issues and (3) that she is not subject to general direction from me or other ministers about how she carries out her powers under the act—indeed, no member of parliament or any government official could interfere with the inspector-general's powers. The powers of the inspector-general under the relevant act are serious, wide-ranging and intrusive. Let me assure the shadow minister who asked the question that the government will cooperate in every way with this inquiry.