Kristina Keneally (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I want to go back to Captain Salas. I thank the minister for her answer. I may be paraphrasing her, but it seemed to be that the government was unaware of the issues around Captain Salas when he returned in December 2015. I quote from News Corp papers on 11 April 2016, which reported that a Senate inquiry into foreign shipping heard, in response to a question from Queensland Nationals senator Barry O'Sullivan:

The Department of Border Protection confirmed it had "holdings" on Capt Salas since December 24, 1994 – 17 years and eight months before a spate of fatalities occurred on the Sagittarius, now known as the "Death Ship".

I also note that Captain Salas had been wanted for questioning by the coroner as a result of the 2012 murders. Is the minister really telling this parliament that the department had no information that said Captain Salas should not be given permission to come back into Australian ports?