Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Wong, the Minister representing the Attorney-General. I refer the minister to evidence of Australian Federal Police Commissioner Negus in estimates on 19 October, in which he confirmed that the AFP periodically compiles a report titled Strategic intelligence forecast—transnational criminal trends and threats to Australia, the most recent edition of which was finalised on 27 March 2009. That report stated: ‘Reporting indicates that people smugglers will market recent changes in Australia’s immigration policy to entice potential illegal immigrants. This may cause a rise in the number of attempted arrivals.’ Given that 50 boats have arrived since the government announced its changes to its immigration policy, will the government now admit that the AFP’s warning was entirely accurate?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is very similar to a range of questions asked by Senator Brandis—and answered—both in the estimates hearings and subsequently in the chamber, and now these questions seem to be transferred to Senator Ferguson. I have answered this question on a number of occasions, Senator Ferguson. I have indicated very—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Government Senators:

Government senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order on both sides! Senator Wong, just continue to answer the question.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have provided the advice that was provided by AFP Commissioner Negus, in which he confirmed that the intelligence report had not been provided to ministers and that the report was an operationally focused document and that it would be inappropriate to provide it to ministers. The advice has been that intelligence documents, such as the AFP strategic intelligence forecast, are for operational use by the AFP and are not produced as a basis for policy advice to ministers; rather they guide the operational decisions of the AFP and its partner agencies. So the opposition may wish to ask a continued series of questions about this document, but those questions have been answered very clearly: the document is an operationally focused document and a document that has not been provided to ministers.

The opposition should be reminded that this is a difficult policy area. It is an area which is the subject of consideration by governments around the world. There are a great many issues contributing to the increase in asylum seekers internationally. There are a great many factors contributing to what is a complex and difficult policy problem. The government has made clear its commitment to ensuring a strong border protection regime. The government has provided some $654 million in the most recent budget, dedicated to a whole-of-government strategy— (Time expired)

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Will the government admit that in formulating its policy it failed to assess the pull factor it represented and thereby failed to account for the threat now posed to Australia’s border security and wider humanitarian migration program?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I again remind the Senate that the government has demonstrated its commitment to a strong border protection regime. There are a range of matters which remain unchanged from those put in place by the previous government. They include mandatory detention, excision of offshore islands and offshore processing. In addition, as I was outlining in the previous answer, in the 2009 budget an additional $654 million was dedicated to a whole-of-government strategy to combat people smuggling as part of the government’s $1.3 billion strategy to strengthen national security and border protection. The reality is—and the opposition know this—that the reasons for people seeking to come to this nation are a result of the increased conflicts in various nations around the world. That has been documented, that has been spoken about, these are matters the government is seeking to address and we have resourced for border protection consistently— (Time expired)

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Given the accuracy of the warning in the AFP report, how does the government propose to change its policy to counter the obvious rise in the number of attempted arrivals—just as the AFP warned?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government believes it has the right policy in place to deal with what is a difficult situation. Those opposite seem to believe that putting out a number of dot points from day to day constitutes a policy. Those points included the reintroduction of temporary protection visas, which, as I recall, were not successful in ensuring people did not enter this country. My recollection, and I stand to be corrected by the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, is that in excess of 90 per cent of TPV holders in fact arrived and continued to stay in Australia. The reality is that there are a great many factors contributing to the increase of asylum seekers around the world and in Australia. That is why the government has in place a strong border protection regime, is resourcing border protection and will continue to work with our region— (Time expired)