James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Cyber Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs, Senator Watt. How many of the almost 3,000 Palestinians granted a visa by the Albanese Labor government who have arrived in Australia since 7 October have had their visa cancelled on character grounds.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks, Senator Paterson, for the question. As I have previously indicated, we know that the opposition has been determined to make this issue a highly political one, and we know—

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's not the question!

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Cash!

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm sorry, Senator Cash. I'm answering the question. We know that the motivation of opposition is to make this a political contest. We also know that the background checks that were undertaken before the granting of any of these visas were exactly the same processes as those that occurred under the coalition. That is a factor that they seek to ignore every time they seek to make this into a political issue. I will search for the figures to answer the specific question. I'm sure they're here somewhere in my brief, but, obviously not being the minister responsible, they're not top of mind for me.

Our focus in managing these visa applications, as is the case for all issues surrounding the current conflict in the Middle East, is to ensure that we maintain social cohesion at all steps along the way. Again, that is something that the opposition has had no interest in, and they have sought to make this a political issue at every step of the way, most recently in relation to these Palestinian visas—

James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Cyber Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order on direct relevance. Perhaps the minister now has the answer, but this was a straight question. There was no preamble. It was a question for factual information. If the minister doesn't know, he should take it on notice.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Paterson. The minister indicated that he thought he did have the figures. Let 's see if he has them at the moment. Otherwise, as you suggested, I'm assuming the minister will seek to take that on notice. Minister Watt.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I can tell Senator Paterson is that the government 's position is that if a person supports an extremist ideology, their visa will be rejected or cancelled. That is something that Mr Burgess, the Director-General of Security with ASIO, has made clear as well. It's rather unfortunate that members of the opposition have consistently sought to misrepresent the words of the director-general of ASIO. They have completely ignored his request of politicians to mind their language around these issues and not inflame situations. The opposition continues to ignore it. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Paterson, first supplementary?

James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Cyber Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll try my luck on a separate question, but, given the minister wasn't able to answer the primary question, I have my doubts. How many Palestinian document holders who have had their visa cancelled have been deported from Australia?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, I can tell Senator Paterson—I can repeat the comments that Mr Burgess has made—anyone who fails character tests and fails to the security vetting by ASIO, doesn't get a visa in the first place, and should further information come to light, their visas are cancelled. As I said, we have repeatedly seen the opposition try to make this issue into a political football and break down social cohesion. Mr Burgess, the Director-General of Security with ASIO, has appealed to members of parliament to take a responsible attitude towards this, but the opposition continues to ignore that advice from Mr Burgess.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Paterson?

James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Cyber Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I just want to give the minister an opportunity to read the brief he has been passed, and perhaps he has the answer.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Paterson, you asked your question. I assumed you had a point of order. It is not an opportunity to get up and make a statement. Minister Watt.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's pretty easy to be a smart alec in this place, and Senator Paterson is doing his best to impersonate me. I know a lot about being a smart alec in this place, and, Senator Paterson, you are a pale imitation!

The bottom line is that this government takes the security of our citizens seriously and that involves— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Paterson, second supplementary?

James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Cyber Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last month, the Minister for Home Affairs said:

Certainly no country in the world would send people back to Gaza at the moment.

Minister, can you confirm that Palestinian document holders in Australia who have their visas cancelled will remain in Australia instead of being deported?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm not going to participate in the latest attempt of the opposition to try to whip up political fear and fear in the community around this issue. We know that the opposition—and Senator Paterson is one of the worst offenders in this—are determined to whip up fear in the Australian community. They have no regard whatsoever for social cohesion in this country. I'm not going to participate in that and I'm not going to fuel it by participating in these kinds of games from the opposition when we have said, and Mr Burgess at ASIO has said, that the Australian community's safety will be the most central issue that we consider when considering all of these matters. As we have said and as Mr Burgess has said, if a person supports an extremist ideology, their visa will be rejected or cancelled. Anyone who espouses violent extremist ideology while in Australia will have their visa cancelled by the minister. Our government will also use character grounds to cancel the visa of anyone we believe is a threat to our country, and that's the way that it should be.