Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration, Senator Cash. I refer to the recent revelations that my colleague Senator Sarah Hanson-Young was the subject of a deliberate and coordinated surveillance operation by government-contracted Wilson Security over three days during her visit to Nauru in December 2013. These details have recently been corroborated by a whistleblower from Wilson Security, who detailed the highly intrusive operation that saw the senator photographed, followed and spied upon in her hotel room. Given this evidence, Minister, will you now concede that a member of the Senate was spied upon during an official visit and will you outline the nature of the investigation the government will make into this incident, who will conduct this investigation and when this investigation will occur?

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

I thank the Leader of the Greens for the question. In relation to the claims made by Senator Hanson-Young that she was spied upon, the claims that were made have been confirmed to be false.

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

Pause the clock.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, a point of order: that is just misleading the Senate. The claims outlined in the question were made by a whistleblower not by Senator Hanson-Young.

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

Order! Senator Di Natale, that was debating the issue. It is not a point of order. Minister, you have the call.

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

As I was saying, the claims that Senator Hanson-Young was spied upon have been confirmed to be false. Senator Hanson-Young was not placed under any surveillance or security that is not usually afforded to high-profile visitors to Nauru. Wilson Security has provided written responses to the allegations and appeared before the Senate select committee and confirmed that the unauthorised monitoring was limited to watching Senator Hanson-Young's vehicle while it was parked overnight at her hotel.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question—I do not know where to go with that, unfortunately. Given the admission of their own employees, Wilson Security, that they have been spying on members of the Senate, will the government now exclude them from receiving future contracts or will they suffer no ramifications for this contempt of the parliament?

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

Again, I confirm that Wilson Security provided written responses and appeared before the Senate select committee and confirmed that the unauthorised monitoring was limited to watching Senator Hanson-Young's vehicle while it was parked overnight at her hotel.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Given that there is mounting evidence of abuse, violence, criminal conduct, harm to children and members of the Australian parliament being spied on, will you now admit that operations on Nauru are lawless, out of control and that the centre must be closed?

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

Senator Di Natale mentioned the words 'lawless' and 'out of control.' The only thing that I know that was lawless and out of control was the former government's border protection policies which were supported, Senator Di Natale, by you and the Australian Greens. If you want to talk about out of control, talk about 50,000 people coming to this country illegally by boat; talk about 1200 persons who died at sea.

It is one thing for you to come in here and show your concern for Senator Hanson-Young. It is a bit of a shame that the Greens did not come into this place and show their concern on over 1200 occasions as people were getting on boats and dying at sea. You have no concern at all for the consequences of your policies.