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

The coalition will not be supporting Greens amendment (1) on sheet 7264. The amendment does nothing more and nothing less than undermine offshore processing. It facilitates the criminal activities of people smugglers and it is inconsistent with the findings of the expert panel, in particular in relation to the no advantage principle. It is of little surprise, however, that the amendment is consistent with the Greens' policy of onshore processing.

We in the coalition believe that people smugglers undertake criminal activities and under no circumstances at all should they or their activities ever be facilitated by domestic policy. The coalition do not want to see people getting on boats and we will not facilitate such a policy, which is exactly what this amendment will do if it is carried. The Greens should stop peddling policy that facilitates the criminal activities of people smugglers and, in particular, activities that have been condemned by the expert panel in their report. The coalition as a responsible political party will not be supporting this amendment.