Kevin Hogan (Page, National Party, Shadow Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Australians are feeling disappointed in the Prime Minister and questioning his competence and honesty. When the Director-General of Security was asked on Insiders about those from terrorist controlled Gaza getting visas to enter Australia, he said: 'There might be times when they don't get referred to us in time.' How can Australians have any confidence that this has not occurred for any of the visas granted to those entering Australia from Gaza?

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

I thank the member for his question, but I don't thank him for undermining the position of the director-general of ASIO. I don't thank him for that, because, no matter where a person comes from or what visas they hold, our security agencies are involved in the process. We trust their expertise. We take the same advice from the same security agencies—even the same security personnel—as the previous government.

Now, we have rejected more than 7,000 visa applications. There are around 1,300 people who have come here from the Occupied Palestinian Territories. I remind the member that the Rafah border crossing is controlled by the Israeli and Egyptian authorities.

Let's be clear about what's happening here. That border crossing closed in May. Did they say anything about it in May, in June, in July, in the beginning of August? There was not a peep from the member for Page, who's so passionate about this issue that he's now had multiple questions about this.

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

Order. The member for Page has asked his question.

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

And so, three months later, they have a call for a ban on anyone from Gaza coming to Australia, even though there has been an attempt to redefine what was said during that Sky News interview. It's up to those opposite to explain why it is that they were silent about all of this for all of that time. It was just on the day when we welcomed Olympians home that the leader of the Opposition chose once again—

Anne Aly (Cowan, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Early Childhood Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He can't help himself.

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

The minister for child care will cease interjecting.

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

to remind Australians that there's no moment which is too big for him to show just how small he is.