Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek to make a personal explanation.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the member for Moreton claim to be misrepresented?

Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Most egregiously.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Moreton may proceed.

Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It was by Senator Henderson during debate in the other place yesterday on a motion to disallow a regulation. Senator Henderson referred to a report of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, of which I'm the deputy chair. She referred to the 'finding of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights in relation to these regulations and the bipartisan position that was taken in assessing the human rights implications of this regulation'. Senator Henderson misrepresented my personal position in relation to the consideration of that instrument. The Labor members actually said that the fees would be a deterrent to applicants and that the fee hike would prevent, in a real and practical sense, access to justice for those litigants. The position of all members of the committee was not bipartisan, as indicated from Senate Henderson—far from it.

Steve Georganas (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek to make a personal explanation.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the member claim to have been misrepresented?

Steve Georganas (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Most grossly.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member may proceed.

Steve Georganas (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, too, have been misrepresented by Senator Henderson during that particular debate. We made it quite clear at the committee that it was not a bipartisan position that was taken in assessing the human rights implications of the regulations, and Senator Henderson misrepresented my position as well as that of other Labor members on the committee by saying it was a bipartisan agreement. This is not correct. Labor members made the point at the meeting and within the report that we were very concerned that raising the application fee for migration matters in the Federal Circuit Court by such an extraordinary amount would be a deterrent to applicants. The fee hike will prevent, in real and practical senses, access to justice for those litigants. That is not bipartisan.