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

I have answered your question in terms of my view. That is, as soon as an allegation is raised, the police should be immediately informed, even if the complainant says they do not want to. I heard an interjection from one of your colleagues earlier, asking whether I understood why a complainant might not want the matter proceeded with by the police. My answer to that is, yes, I do. This is a situation where people who hear about these matters are between a rock and a hard place. You cannot have it both ways. You cannot say, ‘DIMA should refer these matters to the police,’ and then say, ‘But do you understand why they do not want to?’ Yes, I understand, but I think they should be.

I have the report, and I am in the process of looking at it. When I have completed considering the report, I will be able to decide what portions—if any, if not all—will be  made public. I just remind the Senate that this is an allegation that was addressed to me through the department in writing, but it is an allegation that relates to something that occurred more than two years ago. (Time expired)