Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

[by video link] I'll be brief. I've heard Minister Ruston's comments regarding the government's lack of desire to retrospectively legislate, and I can't let the opportunity go past without reminding the Senate that this government has repeatedly retrospectively legislated to deny the rights of refugees in this country. You have repeatedly retrospectively legislated to ride roughshod over the human rights of thousands of people who sought asylum in our country and, as a result, you have created humanitarian calamities and catastrophes. You have been responsible for the deaths of numbers of people in the double digits and you have destroyed hundreds, potentially thousands, of lives because you have repeatedly retrospectively legislated to deny rights to refugees and people who have sought asylum in our country.