Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Road Safety) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to correct the record. I don't feel sorry for you. Now we're going to have some real open debate here, because you've just proved, Minister, that your pay packet will guide you, not common sense. Whatever you get paid, you'll parrot the line when you've got no proper answer. So let's come back to this. I want to use your words, Minister, not mine. I wrote them down.

I asked you about these two Chinese people that scurried off this ship at two in the morning. They disappeared. It was nothing to do with MSIC. They would have had maritime crew visas. You couldn't answer that. You hid behind Border Force: 'We'll have an inspection.' Yes, okay. Then you used the words 'unvetted access to these areas', so I assume you mean the port where the two Chinese seafarers scurried off. How good is this! If I want something off a ship, I've only got to walk in at 2.00 am, because no-one's watching and no-one's there! Is that what happens on our ports, Minister? You want to start going to the bottom of the barrel and talking about the difference between organised crime and those poor devils who want to seek a better life in Australia. You got into the gutter, Minister. Do you want to get into the gutter with me? I'm happy to take that challenge up with you.

You also used these words, Minister—you're referring, I assume, to all seafarers, but in particular to the two Chinese whose passports were missing out of the safe. I don't know how they got access to the safe. Is anyone going to ask how they got access to the safe? Is anyone dragging the captain in to ask what's going on? You said this: they'll undergo these serious checks. Oh, shoot! Serious checks! You're telling us you have serious checks when you've got two Chinese that have scurried off an MSIC port. Hollywood can't write comedy, but the Brits are funny people. They could write this! You can puff and blow as much as you like, Minister, but, if you want to take on someone who's been working in this area for the last eight years, who's done all these inquiries, then get your facts right. If you can beat me with the facts, I'll be the first one to put my hands up.

You say we're filibustering. We're the ones that have seriously said that we want to do this and we want to do this properly. I'm asking the same questions because two Chinese, under your watch, Minister, are now roaming around our nation with their passports. You have no idea who they are. You have no idea how they got off the port. You have no idea who's connected. There are a series of questions that the media have asked Border Force too, and I'm going to start reading them because, you know what? I'd love to know if you can answer them. These are the questions: who are the men you're now searching for? We don't have any names. While you're in the gutter, Minister, why don't you drag yourself up for a little bit, get your head above the line and start listening to this? A lot of people will be thinking about this. What are the personal details of these people? What is their description? Do you know? We just know they're two Asians. Can you provide photos of them? Hey, how's this one? You haven't got their passports. This'll be interesting. So how the hell are you going to know what they look like? Oh, my goodness! This is going to start hurting my head. Do you have an answer? Do you think you have an answer? Do you think you can find two Asian people in Australia with no passports? Do you know who you're looking for?

Progress reported.