Amanda Vanstone (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for her question. She refers to a committee report that was tabled yesterday. The government is giving consideration to that report and hopes to be able to respond to it very soon. I probably should not say much more than that, other than to say that, no, the government does not agree with the assertion that the bill should not go forward, but that does not mean the government is not looking at proposals put forward both by the Senate committee and by some of our own backbenchers in relation to this matter. We are looking at that and I expect that a response to the Senate committee report may not be the sole response of the government to concerns that are raised, because some of my colleagues have raised some concerns that perhaps are not clearly elucidated in that report.

We will have a look at the matter. There are a number of reviews being undertaken at the moment in relation to what practical arrangements we can make for offshore processing. For example, community accommodation arrangements are one of the things that we are looking at—