Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) 20 June 2017 is World Refugee Day,

(ii) currently there are men, women and children on Nauru and Manus Island who sought Australia's protection,

(iii) Department of Immigration and Border Protection statistics of 30 April 2017 show that:

(A) of the 1 015 Refugee Status Determinations on Manus Island, 711 were positive and 224 negative, and

(B) of the 1 209 Refugee Status Determinations on Nauru, 1 034 were positive and 175 negative, and

(iv) the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants stated that: 'considering the incredible hardship that most of these asylum seekers and refugees have already endured in their countries of origin and in transit countries on their way to Australia, and considering that Australian authorities have been alerted to such serious issues by numerous reports from international organizations such as the United Nations and civil society organizations, Australia's responsibility for the physical and psychological damage suffered by these asylum seekers and refugees is clear and undeniable'; and

(b) calls on the Australian Government to close the camps on Manus Island and Nauru and bring every man, woman and child to Australia.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

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

Leave is granted for one minute.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The coalition government will not weaken our strong border protection measures. The Greens forget that it was our measures that made Australia's generous response to the global humanitarian crisis possible. Our strong border policies enabled an additional intake of 12,000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees in the largest offshore humanitarian program in more than 30 years in 2015-16. Under Labor and the Greens 50,000 people risked their lives at sea on more than 800 boats. At least 1,200 people drowned and 8,000 children entered detention. It was a catastrophic moral failure. We cannot return to those disastrous days. The coalition government's strong and consistent border protection policies will not change.

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

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

Cory Bernardi (SA, Australian Conservatives) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator Hanson, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) 20 June 2017 is World Refugee Day,

(ii) the United Nations 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees is irretrievably broken,

(iii) people smuggling is a crime and nations must secure their borders, and

(iv) national security must always come before accepting refugees; and

(b) calls upon the Government to:

(i) withdraw from the Refugee Convention immediately; and

(ii) reflect upon incidents of domestic terror and foreign fighters, and the refugee history of those persons, and strengthen national security and immigration policies accordingly.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

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

Leave is granted for one minute.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The safety and security of the Australian community is the first priority of the coalition government. The coalition government has secured Australia's borders and returned integrity to our migration programs. We have taken back control from the people smugglers. Our offshore humanitarian programs are some of the most generous in the world, but they are also some of the most stringent. Applicants are subject to rigorous security screening processes carried out with security agencies in conjunction with our international partners. The coalition government is committed to honouring Australia's responsibilities under the refugee convention in a way that is both compassionate and secure.

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

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