Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs, Senator Watt. A report in the Daily Telegraph today revealed a Palestinian man, Mr Fayez Elhasani, was granted a visa to Australia despite once hosting political members of terrorist organisations Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad at his Gaza art institute. Minister, can you confirm whether Mr Elhasani was cleared by ASIO prior to his visa being granted?

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

Thank you, Senator Chandler. These matters were canvassed quite extensively this morning in question time in the House of Representatives, but I'm very—

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

No answers were provided.

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

Well, there were answers given. They might not have been the answers that you were hoping for, but accurate answers were provided. I went to the trouble of getting a transcript of Minister Burke's answers. I'm surprised that you didn't bother to do the same yourself. I'm very happy to repeat the comments that Minister Burke made. They were that we are working closely with our security agencies on this matter, as people would expect. Everyone from Gaza granted a visa since 7 October has been checked by our security agencies. That is the answer to the question. Every single person has been checked by our security agencies.

I think the disturbing thing that we continue to see from the opposition is a complete lack of faith in our security agencies. We have seen that over and over again. It's very concerning to see this creeping authoritarianism within the opposition. Last week we had the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Dutton, and other frontbenchers demanding that state police go and arrest certain people. This week we've got the opposition trying to direct the security agencies as to what they should do. That's a little shadow. It's a little insight into the kind of operation we would have under a Dutton government if, God forbid, we ever had a Dutton government. What we know about Mr Dutton is that he has no limits. There are no limits to the authoritarian action that he will take. You will not get a member of the Albanese government directing the security agencies in the way that Mr Dutton seeks to do and Senator Paterson seems to seek to do. You won't get members of the Albanese government directing state police to go and arrest people, because there's this quaint old notion called 'the separation of powers'. I know it's something the Queensland National Party was never able to understand, but it seems the Liberal Party doesn't understand it either.

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

Senator McKenzie, lower your voice. Senator Chandler, first supplementary?

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The reporting also revealed Mr Elhasani had opened this meeting by stressing the need to support Palestinian resistance and confront the occupation by all possible means to restore rights and liberate the land. The Director-General of ASIO has previously said, regarding visa security assessments, 'If it's a tweet … that says the 7th of October was acceptable, that's going to be a problem for that person.' Minister, how is it that someone who has made these statements passed security checks and the character test for an Australian visa?

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

Again, we see a direct attack on the independent security agencies from the federal opposition—an absolutely extraordinary situation that we continue to see.

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

Minister Watt, please resume your seat. Senator Henderson, lower your voice. Minister, please continue.

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

I know the opposition don't want to see themselves characterised—

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

Minister Watt, please resume your seat. Senator Hughes, equally—lower your voice.

Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why do we need you, if you just hand it over to bureaucrats?

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

Senator Hughes, I'll call you to order! Minister, please continue.

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

I'll take the interjection from Senator Hughes. Senator Hughes just said, as a member of the opposition, 'If you're just going to leave it to bureaucrats, then why are you here?' That's the policy of the federal opposition. Ministers in a Dutton government would direct the national security agencies to make decisions, rather than rely on the independent advice from national security—

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

Minister Watt, please resume your seat. Senator Chandler.

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order. The minister is going nowhere near answering the question. It's a point of order of direct relevance.

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

Order! As you know, Senator Chandler, the minister—

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order! I am responding to the point of order. The minister is entitled to—

Senator Hughes, when you've quite finished. Order! Senator Hughes, if you can't remain quiet, please leave the chamber. That's your choice. Senator Chandler, as you are aware, the minister is entitled to respond to interjections. You could get your question more directly answered if you invited your colleagues not to make interjections. Minister Watt, I would also remind you to direct your comments to the chair.

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

As I say, what we see continually from the federal opposition are direct attacks on the independence of our national security agencies. The Albanese government is more than willing to rely on the advice from national security professionals as to the security credentials of any applicant for a visa. Our security agencies don't stop checking someone's national security credentials the moment they enter into Australia. And, as further information comes to light, then advice is updated and we act on that advice. The only people who want to ignore our national security agencies are those sitting opposite. (Time expired)

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

Senator Chandler, second supplementary?

Opposition senators interjecting—

Senator Chandler, please resume your seat. Order! Senator Chandler was on her feet, waiting. Senator McKenzie! It's about the fourth time I've called you this question time. I invite you to listen in silence or leave the chamber. It's your choice. Your colleague has been on her feet, trying to ask the next question. Senator Chandler, second supplementary?

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the Minister guarantee that the Albanese Labor government has not granted a single visa to any individual with links to a terrorist organisation?

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

Thanks, Senator Chandler. Well, the benefit of Senate question time happening after the House of Reps question time is that we can refer back to the answers that House ministers provided to exactly the same questions that were asked four hours and about 19 minutes ago. Minister Burke was asked this question, and the guarantee that I can provide is exactly the same guarantee that Mr Dutton could have provided when he was the home affairs minister and allowed for hundreds of people to enter Australia on visitor visas from war zones such as Afghanistan.

When Mr Dutton was the Minister for Home Affairs, he granted 991 visitor visas to people from Afghanistan while it was a war zone, so I guess I can provide the same guarantee that Mr Dutton could provide then. When Mr Dutton was the home affairs minister, 4,994 visitor visas were granted to people from Iraq while it was a war zone, so I'll give you the same guarantee as Mr Dutton could do then. And 1,505 visitor visas were granted to people from Syria while Mr Dutton was the minister as well, so we're happy to provide the same guarantee as Mr Dutton. (Time expired)

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

Senator Hughes, I've called you a number of times during question time. I ask you to listen in silence or leave the chamber; it is your choice.