Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I refer to Minister Bowen’s statement on Thursday, 17 March 2011, following a night of rioting by some asylum seekers on Christmas Island, when he stated:

… the situation on Christmas Island … is calm.

Given the nature of the violent protests, which included the use of tear gas and beanbag rounds, mass break-outs, fires, rock throwing and protests, is this what the Gillard government defines as a situation that is ‘calm and under control’?