Monique Ryan (Kooyong, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, my question is for the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs. Minister, 31,000 people sought asylum in this country by sea between August 2012 and January 2014. Prior to the recent election, the ALP promised to provide permanent protection for those people who've been stranded on temporary visas for up to 10 years. It's six months today since the Albanese government was elected. When will we see an end to these punitive TPVs and SHEVs?

Andrew Giles (Scullin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Member for Kooyong, for this question. I acknowledge your deep interest in this issue; indeed, it's one of the reasons why you are the member for Kooyong in this place.

I was asked a similar question by the member for Clark in the last sitting week—I think it was the last sitting week, but it was fairly recently. The issues that she raises are very important to this government in and of themselves. They are important in and of themselves, but they are also important because they go to this government's character. We are a government that keeps our promises—in every respect.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will resume his seat. There is far too much noise in the House. Members will be heard in silence when they're asking questions. Ministers will also be heard in silence. I give the call to the minister.

Andrew Giles (Scullin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Members opposite seem to find this is something that is worthy of shouting over. I think they should listen carefully. They should recognise—

An honourable member interjecting—

Yes, keeping promises! We saw nine years of broken promises, cuts, cruelty and neglect in this space. Nine long years. This government are determined to keep their promises, and this is an important promise. It's to a group of people who arrived here before Operation Sovereign Borders; a group of people who've been in the community for a decade, paying taxes, making a contribution. We recognise this and we're working through this issue, which has many complexities. I've been meeting lawyers. I've met with the member for Kooyong; I believe we're meeting again on Wednesday with other members of the crossbench to work through all of these issues. We want to make sure we meet this commitment in a way that is consistent across the cohort, is effective and is enduring, which recognises everything that they have been through as people have been trapped in limbo and denied so many opportunities through that time.

We are doing so also in a manner that recognises the wider circumstances, recognises the Prime Minister has said so often, correctly, that what Australians want—and, indeed, what Australians need—in this place are policies that secure our border but do not abandon our humanity. That is a watchword with which this government approaches this issue in a consistent, considered and consultative matter.

In that regard, I was very pleased to announce that only a few days ago the government made changes to the travel arrangements affecting people on TPVs and SHEVs. These changes also reflect that these people have been separated from families in third countries for more than a decade. We will be compassionate without abandoning our resolve to maintain the security of our borders.

We've also flagged important changes that have been made to family reunion—again, an issue affecting people who've been here for a long time, which goes directly to those two principles of securing our borders, including by securing safer passage for people who need our protection. That is the way we are approaching these issues, not treating vulnerable human beings as political footballs as those opposite did for too long.