Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That—

(a) all communications relating to any 'on water operations' that occurred between 7 September 2013 and 14 November 2013 be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, by noon on 18 November 2013, including but not limited to:

     Any report or briefing to, or email or other correspondence between the Minister or the Minister's office and the Department of Immigration and Border Protection or the Detection, Interception and Transfer Task Group and related agencies which includes information related to any or all of the following:

(i) the chronology of events,

(ii) 'illegal maritime arrivals' (unauthorised arrivals),

(iii) Suspected Irregular Entry Vessels (SIEVs) intercepted at sea,

(iv) distress calls to and response time by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority,

(v) where the SIEV was detected,

(vi) nationality of passengers,

(vii) safety-of-life-at-sea incidents,

(viii) SIEV turn backs,

(ix) SIEV tow backs,

(x) number of people suspected to be on board the SIEVs,

(xi) the number of children suspected to be on board the SIEVs, and

(xii) how many people, if any, were subject to 'on water transfers';

(b) no later than 24 hours after an event relating to 'on water operations' all communications be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, including but not limited to:

     Any report or briefing to, or email or other correspondence between the Minister or the Minister's office and the Department of Immigration and Border Protection or the Detection, Interception and Transfer Task Group and related agencies which includes information related to any or all of the following information:

(i) the chronology of events,

(ii) 'illegal maritime arrivals' (unauthorised arrivals),

(iii) Suspected Irregular Entry Vessels (SIEVs) intercepted at sea,

(iv) distress calls to and response time by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority,

(v) where the SIEV was detected,

(vi) nationality of passengers,

(vii) safety-of-life-at-sea incidents,

(viii) SIEV turn backs,

(ix) SIEV tow backs,

(x) number of people suspected to be on board the SIEVs,

(xi) the number of children suspected to be on board the SIEVs, and

(xii) how many people, if any, were subject to 'on water transfers'; and

(c) if the Senate is not sitting within the 24 hours after the event relating to 'on water operations' then the documents are to be presented to the President under standing order 166 on the next working day.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a short statement.

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

Leave is granted for one minute.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government will not be supporting this motion. We do not run a shipping news service for people smugglers. Operation Sovereign Borders is a military-led border security operation. It has clear, established communication protocols designed by the Joint Agency Task Force led by Lieutenant-General Campbell to support the effectiveness of the operation. These procedures, restricting the official information available to people smugglers, are designed so as not to advantage people smugglers. People smugglers use official information provided by governments, especially when that information is specific, to sell and promote their product and create perceptions amongst potential illegal entrants to Australia. That helps them, not Australians. Details of illegal arrivals by boat will be provided in accordance with the protocol established by Operation Sovereign Borders at the scheduled weekly briefings. The next scheduled report will be provided tomorrow.

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a short statement.

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

Leave is granted for one minute.

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It would be better if this motion did not have to be put forward in this chamber. It would not be necessary if we had a basic acceptance of transparency, a bit more of being up-front with the Australian people and a bit more respect for the parliament—even just the answering of questions during question time in relation to this government's border protection policies. But the fact is that you are absolutely gutless in not putting on the table what is really going on. What are you hiding if you are not able to just tell people, 'Yes, boats have arrived; we have tried to turn around a boat here; it did not work'? That is absolutely gutless. That is sheer hypocrisy—gutless. The reason Mr Abbott, the Prime Minister, does not want the Australian people to know is that the wheels have fallen off his policy. Everybody knows it. The emperor's new clothes have absolutely been exposed.

Bill Heffernan (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on a point of order: that is unparliamentary language. If 'Electricity Bill' is unparliamentary, so is 'gutless'.

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

Order! There is no point of order. The question is that the motion moved by Senator Hanson-Young be agreed to.