Ricky Muir (Victoria, Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, my question is to the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator Cash. In the last sitting week of 2014, the government passed the asylum legacy caseload bill. Releasing children and families from Christmas Island was part of the deal that the government reached with some of the crossbench, including me, in exchange for support to pass the bill. I am aware that children and families were released from Christmas Island as per the agreement with the government. However, I have concerns regarding the time that it has taken to transition these children and families into the community. Can the minister please provide an update on the children and families that were transferred from Christmas Island to the Blaydin Point facility in Darwin as part of the commitment made by the government in December last year?

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

I thank Senator Muir for some notice of the question. In commencing my answer, could I again thank the crossbenchers for the constructive way in which they did engage with the government in relation to the passage of the Resolving the Asylum Legacy Caseload Bill in December 2014. Can I say—in particular to Senator Muir, but also to the crossbenchers—you achieved more in one day in relation to the release of children in detention than Senator Hanson-Young and Labor have achieved in their entire careers. So well done. I think that it is a great shame that we had so many children in detention because of the policies of the former government. In fact, in July 2013—at the height of Labor's policy failure—there were 1,992 children in detention.

In relation to Senator Muir's question: Senator Muir, I confirm with you that all children accommodated on Christmas Island were transferred to the mainland, consistent with the government's commitment following the passage of the legislation. We said that we would do it before Christmas. We indeed did do that by 20 December.

In relation to the status of the children, I am advised that all but three of those children have now been approved for placement in the community and are in the process of moving to their new accommodation. Certainly, in releasing the children, the government has a duty of care, and we take this duty of care very seriously. As such, one of the things that we seek to do is to ensure that we have adequate support and care mechanisms in place to ensure that those families are able to settle into the community. But, again, I confirm with Senator Muir that we adhere to our agreement.

Ricky Muir (Victoria, Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I have been contacted by Victorian constituents who are concerned about the progress being made by the department in transitioning the children and families from Christmas Island into the community. Can the Prime Minister—the minister—please inform the Senate why there have been no public announcements by Minister Dutton's office on the progress being made in transitioning these children and families?

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

Thank you, and I cannot be the Prime Minister, because I am in the Senate, so we will quash that rumour altogether!

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Order on my left! Pause the clock. I think we have enjoyed that faux pas. Minister.

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

Senator Muir, we do not run a running commentary in relation to Operation Sovereign Borders. It was those on the other side who quite literally had no choice but to issue a running commentary, because they had boat after boat after boat arriving and were literally releasing press releases every single day. We have a communications protocol in place and, consistent with that communications protocol, Minister Dutton actually did address this issue with Lieutenant General Angus Campbell on 28 January 2015 at the OSB update for January, in which he confirmed that the government had honoured the commitment with the crossbenchers. (Time expired)

Ricky Muir (Victoria, Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. On Sunday I received information from the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre that, despite the promise made by the former minister, approximately 26,000 of the legacy case load asylum seekers currently in the community on bridging visas do not have work rights. Can the minister please update the Senate on the status of granting working rights for the legacy case load?

Senator Hanson-Young interjecting—

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

In answering that question, I can hear Senator Hanson-Young, who was unable to secure any release of children from detention. Senator Hanson-Young, you supported the policies that ensured that these asylum seekers did not have work rights. The 26,000 people without work rights can be squarely laid at your feet. But, since the passage of the temporary protection visa legislation, as it is known, and, as I said, in conjunction with the crossbenchers, Senator Muir, I can advise you that 5,400 IMAs have now been granted bridging visas with work rights.