Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

This bill sends a clear message to people smugglers and asylum seekers alike about the importance of identity documents and the benefits of presenting a full claim as early as possible. The government are not in the business of denying protection visas to those who genuinely meet the criteria, but we will not provide them to those who board a boat without a genuine claim. We must be able to determine who is genuine and who is not. It is simply in our national interest to do so.

We must also be able to determine who is a potential risk to our community. While these cases are rare, there are documented cases of asylum seekers who have gone on to commit heinous crimes in our community. We do have a duty of care to all Australians. This bill will provide clarity to asylum seekers and give our Border Protection officials the tools necessary to process claims efficiently and fairly.

It is for these reasons that I will be supporting the bill, and I commend it to the Senate.