Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. The Minister for Immigration has now confirmed that he released a criminal with an outstanding warrant into the community. What will it take for the Prime Minister to finally take action and sack this incompetent minister?

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! Members on my right and left, there's far too much noise during these answers.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ministers O'Neil and Giles have done more to address this issue in a month than those opposite did in nine years. I make this point—

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

The member for Fisher will cease interjecting.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

after the High Court—

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Order! Members on my left, I just said before the Prime Minister spoke that there's far too much noise. There's now a general warning issued. The member for Bowman was on a warning. He interjected during that answer. That means he will leave under the standing orders as well. There's far too much noise. I know it's the last day; there's far too much noise.

The member for Bowman then left the chamber.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

After the High Court made the decision that they did, our government has been focused on fixing this. This is something that we inherited from a decision that overturned a 20-year-old decision under the Howard government, not under a Labor government. One of the things that happened on Sunday, as we said very clearly, was that we offered a briefing to the opposition on the legal advice. Did they get it on Sunday? Did they do it on Monday? Did they look at the legal advice on Tuesday? Did they look at the legal advice on Wednesday? Did they look at the legal advice on Thursday? No.

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Order! The Prime Minister was asked about what it would take, and he's answering the question, so he's being directly relevant, so the member for Wannon will have to state the point of order, not just give a statement, because there'll be consequences for that. The member for Wannon has the call.

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance—

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

Resume your seat. As I said, under standing order 104, the Prime Minister is being relevant to the question, but I'll make sure he sticks to the question. He has the call.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was asked about the minister, and he has responded on the basis of the legal advice that we have said, under the terms agreed to by the opposition, we would make available for them—to go into the room and read the legal advice—so that they could assure themselves of the basis of the government's actions. They haven't read it on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Too interested in playing politics, they refuse to make themselves available. The member for Wannon was busy off at the races—the Jericho Cup—so he wasn't available; Senator Paterson, the shadow minister for home affairs, is too busy off at Harvard doing a course; Senator Cash wasn't able to find time in between Sky interviews; and the Leader of the Opposition has not made himself available either. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday—they have failed to avail themselves of the offer that we made very clearly. We contacted them. We made times available. We made three times available for them, and on none of them have they made themselves available to walk into the secure room and read the advice on that basis.

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

The member for Cowper is warned.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They have been too interested in being able to say things they know are not true rather than— (Time expired)