Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs, Minister Cash. Last week the government resettled a Rwandan refugee who was accused of murdering eight Western tourists during a rampage in Uganda in 1999. Two others accused of the same crimes were resettled in Australia last year. The three of them were brought here under the refugee swap that the coalition negotiated with the United States. What kind of deal is this? The US clearly didn't want them in their community. They held the men for more than a decade in immigration detention. Do these men pose a security risk to the Australian community and has the Australian community been told?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Lambie for the question. In relation to the details of those that Senator Lambie has referred to, we would normally not comment on individual cases, but what I will do—because I don't have a brief on that—is take that on notice for you.

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I said that I will take it on notice—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Cash, please resume your seat. I can't hear the minister. If I can't hear her, then others will not be able to. Senator Cash.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I can advise you, though, Senator Lambie, is that the Prime Minister confirmed publicly in May this year that Australia had resettled two Rwandans from the United States in 2018. He also stated these people were resettled as refugees, along with other Rwandans and people from a range of other countries, under Australia's ongoing humanitarian program. Also, as the Prime Minister noted, both individuals 'were subjected to strict security and character checks'.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Lambie, a supplementary question?

Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Did the Prime Minister bother to tell Australians out there that former US judge Wayne Iskra rejected the asylum claim of two of these Rwandan men in 2007 because he believed they were 'a danger to the community'? He further noted that these men were members of a terrorist group. He did not find that they had been rehabilitated. If these men tried to come in under section 501 of the Migration Act, they'd be rejected on character grounds—how about that? They would be considered a threat. Why didn't the minister refuse these people a visa? (Time expired)

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, Mr President, we would not normally comment on individual cases. I will go back to the comments the Prime Minister made at the time that both individuals 'were subjected to strict security and character checks'. I can also advise that the Rwandans were not part of the United States resettlement arrangement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Lambie, a final supplementary question?

Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, I'm not sure how Homeland Security finds this, but many of us find it absolutely absurd that this is going on in our own country.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Lambie, this is question time.

Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Australians deserve to know if the deal is putting their safety at risk. They deserve to know what exactly the government has agreed to do here, because at the moment it looks as though we're giving the US our genuine refugees and getting criminals, and war criminals at that, in return. How many more members of a terrorist organisation do you plan to bring to Australia under the deal that none of us are allowed to see?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm going to have to reject the premise of Senator Lambie's question outright. In response to Senator Lambie's first supplementary question, I did advise the Rwandans were not part of the United States resettlement arrangement, which really does make all other statements that Senator Lambie has made redundant.