Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Very selective, Senator Moore, but then you would expect that from Labor, because Labor and the Greens presided over the worst mess that Australia has seen. Clearly the Greens and Labor do not want people to understand this, but Australia takes about 14,000 refugees every year. This means that, on a per capita basis, Australia is one of the best countries in the world for accepting refugees. We punch well above our weight.

When people jump the queue, when they have enough money pay people smugglers and other people who support people smugglers, it means that those genuine refugees who are languishing in squalid refugee camps right around the world miss their chance to come into Australia because we take only 14,000. If they come in illegally by sea, then those who are waiting their turn in squalid refugee camps around the world who have already been determined by the UNHCR to be genuine refugees miss out. They have to wait yet another year. I just want to bring some reality to this debate.

The Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee looked at this legislation and made four recommendations. I am going to run out of time so I cannot go into those recommendations in detail, but they suggest that some amendment be made and that there be improvements made to the bill. The fourth recommendation was that, subject to the preceding three recommendations, the bill be passed. I commend the report of the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee inquiry into this bill to the Senate.