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

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Carr. Yesterday at 1pm, Minister Bowen told the ABC that:

There’s some final checks to be done, final headcounts and those sorts of processes but they are moving towards being confident.

Later in the day, the AFP said:

… it is premature for me to comment on any active search plans for detainees that may potentially remain at large outside the centre.

After coming into this chamber and telling us that all escapees had been returned, can the minister tell us once and for all how many escapees have been accounted for?

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

Senator Ferguson, what I indicated to you in the chamber yesterday was that there had been advice that there was a small group of people outside the detention system and that the AFP had briefed, just before question time, that people had been returned. Today I am advised that the AFP have advised, following a headcount of detainees at the north-west point overnight, that some discrepancies have been identified. As a result, a broader recount is currently being conducted across the facilities on Christmas Island. Up to four people may be unaccounted for, but the work is still in progress and this will take some time. In addition, Christmas Island police continue to undertake expanded patrols within the Christmas Island community.

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

Minister, are you finished?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He answered the question.

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

You might have thought so, Minister. Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Is the minister aware of reports that officers from the Acacia Prison in Western Australia were sent to Christmas Island to assist in securing the facility after mass rioting? What protections were put in place by the government to ensure that prisoners did not escape or run riot while the guards were off doing the government’s dirty work?

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

I indicated to the chamber yesterday that the AFP were in control of the detention centre at the request of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship and that they would remain in control until they were satisfied that order had been restored. As to arrangements with other prisons within Western Australia, I do not have any information.

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

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Will the minister now concede that the government not only has lost control of our borders but also has absolutely no idea of what is going on and that, if the government had stopped the boats by bringing back temporary protection visas, this mess would have been avoided?

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

I do enjoy the simplistic nonsense that we hear from the Liberal Party on quite complex issues. We have seen a growth in the number of people coming to Australia and that has put stress on the system. The minister is dealing with that in a very open and transparent manner. He is being very clear about the determination of the government to ensure that these issues are dealt with properly and consistent with our international obligations. Suggestions that we can just stop the boats, as the Liberal Party would assert, are completely nonsensical in the circumstances we currently face. Senator Ferguson, I suggest that you try to go beyond the slogan and actually deal with the substance of the issues.