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

Yes. If we do, then we will deal with the matter at the time by approaching appropriate countries and having negotiations with them. But going to those countries and asking them to make firm commitments now when we do not know if we are going to get anybody, we do not know how many and we do not know where from would be in fact a completely impractical and frankly laughable proposition.

The third part of the question was what would happen if—and the senator interpolated with ‘as seems likely’—no-one will have them. With respect, Senator, you need to wait until some boats arrive and we go to other countries and we get a no. Then you are entitled to say that it is likely that we will get noes. But you cannot assume that at this point. There is no possible way you can assume that at this point.

There was a further question by way of interjection during my attempt to give this answer without interference from the other side. I do not know what is getting to them—maybe they are a bit excited because it is the end of the session. The question was: why do we need the bill? Because we are expecting the bill to work, that is why. Offshore processing has been the most successful border protection policy that has ever been introduced. Members opposite do not like it, but they supported it in 2001; they tried to get out of it later. It is the most successful border protection policy Australia has ever had, and this is simply an extension of that policy.