Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you. If I made a reflection on the previous senator's motives, I withdraw that, to assist the Chamber. But what I will say is: as I progress with my speech, it would assist the Chamber and me if there were no interjections and I didn't have someone speaking over me while I was trying to give my speech. What I was contributing to this debate were the facts and the policy, and the actions that our government is taking. That is what I am doing today in this speech. I am highlighting the developments—what the Albanese Labor government is doing, now, to determine that our government is creating a functioning and effective migration and humanitarian program. That is what we are doing.

Again, at the election, the Prime Minister was very clear: we can be tough on borders without being weak on humanity. Regional processing does both of these things. I have to be clear that the Albanese government is committed to Operation Sovereign Borders and regional processing, including our ongoing partnership with Nauru. We know that people smugglers exploit and encourage vulnerable people to risk their lives on dangerous voyages to reach Australia. Regional processing is designed to break this model and to prevent deaths at sea. An essential aspect of this model is providing people currently on Nauru with permanent options through third-country settlement. For all their talk, the previous government achieved very little regarding third-country resettlement for people on Nauru. But since coming to government—let me say it again—we have more than halved the number of displaced people on Nauru, and we have secured resettlement into third countries, like the USA, Canada and New Zealand. These people can finally begin the process of rebuilding their lives.

I appreciate that some in this place want to see additional reform at a faster rate, and I appreciate—I'm sure, as other senators do—that not everyone in this place supports Operation Sovereign Borders and regional processing. But that is the government's policy, and we are delivering it. Regional processing has been settled policy on both sides of politics for almost a decade, and the government has been clear and consistent in its position on delivering this. The minister has consistently reiterated that this government is strong on borders—strong on borders because we know that regional processing breaks the business model of people smugglers. If you want to talk about saving lives and protecting people, that is what we are talking about today. In doing so, it saves lives of vulnerable people who would otherwise be exploited onto leaky boats to attempt a dangerous voyage at sea. It sends a message that persons will not be settled in Australia when they take a dangerous and often deadly route. It's as simple as that. I recognise that that is a tough measure, but that tough measure has broken a model that exploits vulnerable people. It exploits vulnerable people, and we have broken that model. The government has been determined and focused in its conduct on support of Operation Sovereign Borders, but, unlike the previous government, we haven't sought to politicise this issue in some sort of attempt to weaponise it or sow distrust in the community. What we have done, and what we are doing today, is to calmly get on with the job. We have a view that it is an important undertaking to be pursued and to be dealt with in the seriousness that this issue demands.

On third-country resettlement, can I say: an essential part of delivering this policy is working with third countries. It is working with the government that has led to the number of people on Nauru almost halving. Our government finally took action on third-country resettlement, including the longstanding offer from the New Zealand government, which was ignored by the previous government. Only our government, only a Labor government, has taken action to ensure work to resettle people is happening. Only our government is ensuring that this is happening through our close engagement with New Zealand. We've had a first group of refugees depart Nauru and resettle in New Zealand and start new lives. We continue to go about this work in an orderly but diligent way, with the care that it requires.

As a government we know that two things can be true at once. The Albanese government are committed to strong borders, but we are also committed to being a modern, responsible nation that finds space for vulnerable people fleeing persecution. We can do this important resettlement work because of the enduring deterrent value of regional processing. It is a system that has been and will be kept in readiness to respond to any contingency. While there may be disagreements about policy, the fact is that regional processing saves lives by discouraging dangerous voyages at sea. Our government is working hard to obtain viable third-country resettlement options for those on Nauru.

I want to address one of the other things that our government is doing to deal with some of the aftermath of the previous government's neglect of this migration program. Just last month, the Albanese Labor government confirmed it would provide a permanent visa pathway for existing temporary protection visa holders and safe haven enterprise visa holders. This was our government delivering on our election commitment to end the state of limbo for refugees who have been kept in Australia for the last decade. Around 19,000 refugees have been provided with a certain future here in Australia. These are people who have been found to be refugees. They are also people who have made a life in our communities. They have worked here or built small businesses. They have often made outstanding contributions to rural and regional communities. But, despite their contributions, their visa status meant that they couldn't buy a house or pursue further education. These people have been left in limbo over the past decade because of the belligerence of the previous government, but now they are on a fast track to build their lives with a sense of certainty that cannot come from rolling protection visa applications.

Just this weekend, the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Andrew Giles, announced further funding to our government's economic pathways to refugee integration grant program. This program supports social enterprise that delivers employment opportunities for refugees. Programs like this not only provide an opportunity for communities to harness the potential of our diversity but also provide refugees with a sense of stability.

Our government takes the view that support for those fleeing persecution entails more than just visa approvals. We do recognise how much security and certainty that can provide. We understand the urgency that many TPV and SHEV holders would feel about settling their visa status. To assist with this, the Albanese Labor government has committed $9.4 million over two years for specialist legal support.

In summary, our government is taking the important, vital steps to give certainty to those people whose future was kept in limbo by the previous government. Whether it's by promptly processing visas, after the unacceptable backlog; providing third-country resettlement options, finally, for those refugees on Nauru; or providing certainty for thousands of refugees who have been on rolling TPVs, you can have tough borders without being weak on humanity. Our government seeks to do both. We are the only government that has done that. We are the only party of government that can do that. We have been and we will continue to be consistent in this approach.

Those on the other side of the chamber might seek to say that we're not being tough enough on borders, and some at the end of the chamber might say that we are not being strong enough when it comes to humanity. The truth is that none of this is black and white, and you do need a balanced approach. Only with a Labor government can you deliver a system which ensures that people are not enticed to take a vulnerable trip across the seas, that there is regional processing and an Operation Sovereign Borders that is well resourced to ensure people don't put themselves in that dangerous position.

At the same time we are working through years of neglect by the previous government, to make sure that third-country resettlement is a priority—and it's happening. We're getting on with it. We have halved the number of people on Nauru. We are working through this. We're doing it in a diligent and organised way without being sensational about it and without putting people at risk. This is what our government is doing, and it's because we can be tough on borders that we are choosing not to be weak on humanity. Only a Labor government can do that. Only a Labor government is ending the years of uncertainty for TPV and SHEV holders. I want to ensure those people who have contributed to the inquiry into this bill that we have undertaken to balance those very fragile considerations—this bill should not be supported. This bill is not the policy of the government for a very good reason.