Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator Cash. Will the minister advise the Senate of the need to ensure appropriate rules apply to people on bridging visas?

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

I thank Senator Smith for his question and for his ongoing commitment to securing Australia's borders. This government is of the opinion that, if we are going to release people into the community who have arrived illegally by boat from very different backgrounds—who do not speak English as a first language, who come from cultures that are fundamentally different to our own, who have no prior exposure to the Australian community at all—it is basically an obligation that we should tell them what is expected of them in terms of Australian community standards. That is why we have introduced a code of behaviour. It provides the framework for the government to address community concerns about the behaviour of illegal maritime arrivals who are in Australia temporarily on bridging visas.

The code of behaviour is particularly relevant where IMAs have engaged in antisocial or violent behaviour that does not result in criminal charges. Common issues reported include: intoxication, fighting between residents at accommodation, sexual harassment, threats of violence, acting aggressively towards departmental or service provider staff, and refusing to cooperate with attempts by the department to resolve a person's immigration status. The code of behaviour sets out clear standards of behaviour and expectations relating to the values that are important to the Australian community. It also makes clear that bridging visa holders are expected to cooperate with the Department of Immigration regarding the resolution of their status.

The grant of a bridging visa to an IMA is a privilege not a right. The government has a zero tolerance approach to those who violate the privilege they have been granted in the Australian community. We make no apologies for introducing the code of behaviour. (Time expired)

Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate of the government's and the community's expectations of people on bridging visas?

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

As I was saying, the government and the community have a zero tolerance approach to those who violate the privilege they have been granted to live in the Australian community. The code of behaviour itself consists of six dot points, and everything in the code of behaviour should quite frankly be common sense to all of those in this chamber. It includes:

•   You must not disobey any Australian laws including Australian road laws; you must cooperate with all lawful instructions given to you by police and other government officials;

•   You must not make sexual—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock. Senator Williams, on a point of order?

John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I am trying to listen to the answer from the minister and all I am getting is the screaming interjections from the Greens. Could you bring them to order, please.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I remind all senators not to interject and not to make a noise during the answering of a question. Senator Cash, you have the call.

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

Thank you, Mr President. It includes:

•   You must not make sexual contact with another person without that person’s consent, regardless of their age; you must never make sexual contact with someone under the age of consent;

•   You must not take part in, or get involved in any kind of criminal behaviour in Australia, …

The expectation of the government and of those in the community is that those on bridging visas should abide by the standards of behaviour expected of Australian citizens. (Time expired)

Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate how many people are currently living in the community as a result of Labor's policy failure and how many illegal maritime arrivals form Labor' case load legacy?

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

I think the Australian public are well aware that under the former government in excess of 50,000 people arrived here illegally by boat. The situation under the former government was this: the detention centres in Australia were quite literally overflowing. There was no capacity and no money to open any further detention centres, so the government quite literally dumped approximately 30,000 people into the community and did not process their claims.

We currently have approximately 25,000 people living in the community who are part of the legacy case load of 30,000 people who arrived illegally by boat under the former Labor government. The previous Labor government quite literally dumped people into the community without any care or responsibility. What we assumed on coming into office was a messy problem on a scale which, quite frankly, Australians had not seen before, and we are cleaning it up yet again. (Time expired)