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

My question is to the Prime Minister. Does the Prime Minister still have confidence in the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs?

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

I do, because the government continues to refuse and cancel visas on character grounds. Section 501 has not changed. And I'll make this point: since coming to government, we have deported over 4,200 individuals from immigration detention. In our first year of government, the number of individuals we deported from immigration detention was almost double the number the previous government deported the year prior.

The AAT makes decisions independently of government to overturn some visa cancellations. As the minister has said, he'll be reviewing the recent AAT decisions and, where necessary and appropriate, he'll overrule them. The parliament yesterday passed legislation abolishing the rorted AAT and replacing it with the new Administrative Review Tribunal. The only effective way of ensuring that tribunal members are making better decisions is to issue a new, revised direction, which the minister will be doing. The new directive will ensure that the protection of the community outweighs any other considerations.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Members on my left will cease interjecting. Order!

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

Those opposite would have you believe—

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Order! The Prime Minister will pause. There is far too much noise. I can't hear a word that is being said. The Leader of the Opposition was heard in silence. It's the first question. We're just going to dial it down.

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

I suspect the Leader of the Opposition knows what's coming, because when this bloke was the Minister for Home Affairs, for example, the tribunal decided that an Iranian heroin dealer and ice manufacturer, known as YKZZ, should be allowed to stay. The tribunal cited direction 79 and the higher level of tolerance as an important reason. During the same period, the tribunal decided a Brazilian man found guilty of armed robbery and assault, and the subject of an AVO sought by his girlfriend, should have his visa restored. This decision in 2018 cited the higher level of tolerance in direction 65 of this minister. In another ruling, the tribunal sided with a Nigerian heroin dealer, known as HMDS—

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order!

Order! The Deputy Leader of the Opposition! The member for Holt will cease interjecting as well. She's sitting a long way from me, but I can hear her very loud and clear. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition, when we're bringing the House to order, it's not the time to interject. The Prime Minister has 34 seconds remaining.

The Leader of the Opposition, I need to hear the Prime Minister's answer.

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

The tribunal also cited direction 79 over the Nigerian heroin dealer, HMDS—

Michael Sukkar (Deakin, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why did you draft direction 99?

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

The member for Deakin is warned!

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

and said he should be granted a visa, despite the government's refusal to do so. That was all under this minister. There are hundreds of them. He knows about it. He sat there wallowing in his hypocrisy, and yesterday was out there defending the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. (Time expired)

Honourable members interjecting —

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

The clock's running. I assume people want to ask questions and hear the answers. When the House comes to order, we will hear from the member for Solomon.