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

I move:

That, for the purposes of paragraph 48(1)(a) of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003, the Senate rescinds its resolution of 2 December 2013 disallowing the Migration Amendment (Temporary Protection Visas) Regulation 2013, as contained in Select Legislative Instrument 2013 No. 234 and made under the Migration Act 1958.

I seek leave to make a one-minute statement.

Leave granted.

If the opposition join with the Greens to vote down this motion, they will be sending a very clear message to the people of Australia about where they stand on border protection and the fact that they have learned nothing from six years of failed border protection policies under the former Labor-Greens government. Australia elected this government with a clear task: to clean up Labor's mess and to stop the boats. It has now been 89 days since a successful maritime venture has reached Australia. The positive progress of Operation Sovereign Borders is not due to any single measure; it is a culmination of all of the government's policies to combat people smuggling. The opposition, if they choose, can team up with the Greens in the Senate today and vote against this motion. But rest assured that this government is resolute in its commitment to the Australian people that people who arrive illegally by boat will not be getting permanent protection visas from this government.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Gavin Marshall (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Labor stand by the decision we made when we disallowed the introduction of TPVs by this government. That ought to come as no surprise to the government, which nonetheless has decided to waste the Senate's time with this attempt to rescind that decision. Our position on TPVs is well known and longstanding and our rationale is very clear. It is an ineffective policy that will not deter anyone from risking their lives on dangerous boat journeys. It will in fact lead to considerable hardship, as it is directed primarily at the cohort of people who are already in Australia. TPVs do not allow for any method of family reunion. TPV holders who leave Australia are not permitted to return, and this creates a terrible risk because it actually encourages more people to undertake those terrible sea voyages.

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

The question is that the motion moved by Senator Cash be agreed to.