Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

My question is directed to Senator Vanstone in her capacity as Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs. If the minister is still the minister responsible for immigration matters, can she explain to the Senate what the government’s immigration policy is today? Is it the policy announced by the Prime Minister on 17 June 2005, is it the policy announced by the minister on 11 May 2006 or is it the bill rejected by the party room last night? Is the minister confident that the Prime Minister will be able to explain to the Indonesian president the rationale for the government’s current position if their meeting goes ahead next week? Given that the changed announcement last night did not remove the retrospective elements of the bill, is the minister able to provide a definitive explanation of what rules would apply if a boatload of Papuan asylum seekers were to land on mainland Australia today?