Llew O'Brien (Wide Bay, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs. Can the minister inform the House if the whereabouts of any of the 149 criminals is unknown?

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

I thank the member for Wide Bay for this question. One of the first things that we did in response to the High Court's decision was set up Operation AEGIS to ensure that our agencies and state and territory law enforcement agencies have the capacity to share information so that they can work across the country to keep the Australian community safe. I acknowledge his very distinguished service in law enforcement in the past. Through this—

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

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will cease interjecting. The minister is going to be heard in silence. I want to hear his answer.

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

I've talked repeatedly about the four layers of protection that we have put in place to keep the community safe, and I can be very clear in saying that every individual is subject—

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

The minister will pause. The Leader of the Opposition on a point of order.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question was very tight. It asked the minister whether or not one of—

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! I'll hear from Leader of the Opposition on the point of order.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance, the minister was asked a very tight question: does he know where the 149 are or not? It's as simple as that. Can he answer the question?

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

The minister was asked a pretty short, tight question. I'm just going to make sure the answer that he's giving to the House contains the information, or as much information as he may be able to provide the House, regarding that matter and make sure he's directly relevant.

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

As I was saying just a moment ago, each individual in the cohort is subject to at least one of the four layers of protection. That means that each one of them is being continuously monitored and, of course, as I said just earlier, we've criminalised breaches of our strict visa conditions, so if anyone thinks they can get away with those, we will find you, and everyone will face the full force of the law.

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Order! Members on my left will cease interjecting. When the House comes order, I'll hear from the member for Higgins.