Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator McKim, for the question. I am going to have to disagree, obviously, as you and I do on these occasions, with the way that you have described the Manus Regional Processing Centre. In relation to your question, is the government going to close the Manus Regional Processing Centre? The answer is yes. Papua New Guinea, with Australia's support, will close the Manus Regional Processing Centre by 31 October 2017. The PNG Immigration and Citizenship Service Authority have established alternative accommodation and service arrangements in Manus Province. Refugees who have expressed an interest in US resettlement may also volunteer to transfer to Nauru. Non-refugee residents are expected to return home voluntarily and will be assisted to do so. Nonrefugees not returning voluntarily will be involuntarily removed from PNG by the government of PNG.

Can I again say that the question that needs to be asked is: why? Why is anybody on Manus Island in the first instance? It is not because Labor and Liberal put them there. As you know, when you were in coalition with the former Labor government you lost control of the borders and, as a result, to this day it is those of us on this side of the chamber who continue to clean up your mess. There were 50,000 people who arrived on over 800 boats and 1,200 deaths at sea that we know about, and let's not even get started on the thousands of children who were placed in detention. (Time expired)