Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Sharma, I would expect that, as an experienced member of parliament and a former diplomat, you would know that governments do not provide that level of detail about security advice that they receive. Simply being a member of the opposition doesn't automatically entitle you to ask those sorts of questions or get that sort of information. You would surely know that governments don't provide that kind of security information. What I can also say is that the Department of Home Affairs routinely cancels visas. That department has done so under this government. They did so under the former government. They have done so from time immemorial. That's because all noncitizens who wish to enter or remain in Australia must satisfy the requirements of the Migration Act, and all noncitizens are required to meet health, character and security criteria. They're required to undergo security checks and are subject to ongoing security assessments. That is the practice under this government, as it was under the former government.