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

It seems to me that the tactics committee of the Liberal Party are totally bereft of new ideas, because I have been asked this question in various ways probably about 15 times this week. I can say at first I always listen to Senator Feeney’s contributions very closely because they are erudite and generally quite amusing. He has a certain way that I find very amusing. Senator Feeney obviously has correctly described that there was an agreement between the Indonesian government and the Australian government as to how those who disembark from the Oceanic Viking will be treated. That agreement was struck and that agreement was followed. We insisted that those people disembark in Indonesia and we rejected their claims to come to Australia. Those people have accepted the fact that they will disembark in Indonesia and have done so. They have gone into detention, as we agreed with the Indonesian government, and they will have access to UNHCR representatives, who will assess their asylum claims.

Senator Feeney was correctly representing that there was an agreement between the two governments as to how this would occur, because the asylum seekers were on our vessel but were disembarking in Indonesian territory. Obviously Indonesian law must apply when they disembark, so there was an agreement between the two governments. That agreement has been honoured by the Indonesian government and it has been honoured by the Australian government. After some delay the asylum seekers on the Oceanic Viking have decided to disembark and given up their claim to be taken to Australia. That is as it should be. They will be processed according to the UNHCR processes and, following that, those who are found to be refugees will be treated accordingly. Those who are not will be returned. (Time expired)