Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Hansard source

I am sure Senator Cash well knows that the figures will be updated in relation to the budget in MYEFO in the usual way. This is the normal practice. This is how it has been done for years, and I think you look forward to the answer. In the meantime, the government is in the process of implementing the 22 recommendations of the expert panel at the moment. It is the approach of a responsible government to take expert advice and to act on that advice. For Senator Cash and the opposition to now imply through their questions that somehow they do not support this approach in fact contradicts the stance they took on the legislation when they supported the government to support those 22 recommendations.

The combination of an increased refugee intake from our offshore program and no advantage for those who arrive by boat removes the attractiveness of attempting the expensive and dangerous boat journey to Australia. Our aim, of course, is to save lives and we are pleased with progress that has been made thus far. We have committed, as the transfers continue, to working with Nauru to ensure that the transfers take place in sync with the building of the appropriate systems in Nauru and we will continue to work with the Nauruan government on that. We have had a number of transfers to Nauru in recent weeks and they will continue in the coming days and weeks.