Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Carr, Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship. I refer the minister to the Prime Minister’s statement on radio just three days prior to the federal election, responding to a claim that the Labor government intended to further expand the detention facilities at Curtin Immigration Detention Centre, where she said:

That’s simply not true. No work is planned at Curtin other than the work which is under way now … there are no secret plans.

How does this pre-election statement sit with the minister for immigration’s statement on 17 September:

Additionally, capacity at the existing Curtin Immigration Detention Centre will be expanded in coming months, allowing for up to 1200 single adult men to be housed there.

Isn’t the Prime Minister’s pre-election statement just another example of how this Labor government will blatantly deceive the people of Australia and say anything and do anything just to get elected, without any intention of carrying out its pre-election commitments?

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Senator Carr, you cannot start your answer until there is silence. We will proceed with question time when there is silence.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Cash for her enthusiasm! Nothing really has changed in this place, has it, Mr President? Senator Cash, I am sure you would be aware that the government has been quite clear, quite open, for many months about the fact that the department of immigration, as a matter of routine and prudent contingency planning, has been investigating and developing a range of options for potential additional accommodation. Such accommodation contingency planning is a normal and responsible process of government—

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think lying is a normal procedure from the Labor Party.

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

Order!

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I remind you, Senator Brandis, that it was the Howard government that built the Christmas Island detention centre as a contingency for irregular arrivals—

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order in relation to relevance. The Curtin Immigration Detention Centre is in Western Australia. It is not where the minister stated. My question was quite specific. I was asking the minister about a pre-election statement made by the Prime Minister and its complete contradiction by a statement made after the election by her now minister.

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

There is no point of order. I draw to the Senate’s attention the fact that the minister has a minute left in which to answer the question, but the interjections that are occurring do not assist in either listening to the answer or allowing the minister to answer the question that was originally asked by Senator Cash. The minister has one minute remaining to address the question that has been asked.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am advised that work was undertaken at Curtin during the election. It related to stage 1 accommodation for approximately 600 detainees then at the centre. Those works for stage 1, which began in May 2010, include the letting of contracts for the supply and installation of demountable buildings, and the installation of a fencing and security system and critical infrastructure required to support some 600 people. Clearly, the government has to keep these issues under review and has engaged in a planning and budget process for contingencies. The government will continue to give consideration to various options and seek to develop and progress a longer term strategy. Expanding Curtin is one of a number of options available to the government. (Time expired)

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I refer the minister to the statement made by Premier Barnett on 16 September 2010 in relation to the government’s decision to expand the Curtin Immigration Detention Centre:

“Twelve hundred single men in a remote location heading into the extreme weather conditions and high temperatures and humidity of a Kimberley summer is not a very safe situation,” he said.

Does the minister understand the Premier’s concern and accept the truth of the Premier’s statement?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I too saw the Premier’s statements during the election campaign. I noticed that the Liberal Party was running a scare campaign around these issues. What we do know is that any further expansion of Curtin would have to be the subject of reviews of IMA projections and further assessments of options following joint planning with the Department of Defence. The government has no plan to expand Curtin to the 3,000 number that has been used by the Liberal Party and, of course, has been used in quite sharp contrast to what all who are interested in this issue understood. The Totem Fencing contract, which is listed on the AusTender website, of 16 July 2010 demonstrated the government’s intentions in this regard. This is the so-called secret plan—on AusTender! (Time expired)

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. I refer the minister to the statement of the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship on 17 September 2010 where he stated:

In coming weeks, I will be reviewing the longer-term detention accommodation needs and taking steps to ensure appropriate arrangements are in place to meet ongoing and longer-term requirements.

Does the Gillard government have any plans to further increase the capacity of any detention centre either onshore or offshore and, if so, where, when and by how many places?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is true, Senator Cash, that on 17 September the government announced that additional immigration detention accommodation will be prepared for families, for unaccompanied minors and for single men at various sites on the mainland. What I have already indicated—if Senator Cash had actually followed the previous answer—is that any further expansion at Curtin would have to be subject to an ongoing review process, and announced in due course will be any decisions that the government has actually made. Rather than trying to run a scare campaign on these issues, one should stick to the facts, Senator. I know that is difficult for you, but I suggest that maybe in the new circumstances that is what you should do.