"Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil has demanded the Coalition come forward and give an answer as to why they voted to delay Labor’s detainee bill.
“We’re very disappointed the Liberals have decided to stymie our government’s efforts to make sure that we have a better run, better-managed migration system, and to improve community safety,” she said during a media conference on Wednesday.
“Instead of working with us as one would expect parliamentarians to do, instead the Liberals have come forward and they have said no.
“What we see is a consistent pattern emerging here where our government brings forward national interest propositions and Peter Dutton, Doctor No himself, comes forward and plays political games.
“We have a government here trying to do something in the national interest, an Opposition that continues to play politics and they need to account for that.”"
Thanks everyone for being here and it's pretty disappointing circumstances that
Andrew and I are addressing you today. We're very disappointed that the
Liberals have decided to stymie our government's efforts to make sure that
we have a better run, better managed migration system and to improve
community safety. We brought before the Parliament this week a bill which was
absolutely in the national interest. A common-sense bill that would have given
the Immigration Minister powers that in my view he absolutely should already
have. Those powers would have allowed us to make sure that we have a better
managed, better run migration system and it is part of our government's enduring
efforts to clean up the very many messes that were left for us in our migration
system here as a country. Now instead of working with us as one would expect
parliamentarians to do, instead the Liberals have come forward and they've
said no, they've said no again and what we see is a consistent pattern emerging
here where our government brings forward national interest propositions
and Peter Dutton, Dr No himself, comes forward and plays political games and
stops us from doing things that are important for the welfare of our country.
Now it's very disappointing and I want the Coalition to come forward and give
us a clear explanation about what their policy issues are with the bill that was
before the Parliament because I've listened to them this week and I haven't
yet heard one. What we've seen again, we have a government here trying to do
something in the national interest, an opposition that continues to play
politics and they need to account for that. Thanks very much Claire. Peter Dutton
always says no. Peter Dutton always plays politics and Peter Dutton refuses to act
in the national interest. Peter Dutton and the Liberals could be voting to
protect Australians today. They could be taking a big step in keeping the
community safe but instead they've chosen not to. Instead they've chosen
once again to play politics. Again, as Minister O'Neill said, without providing
any substantive reason. The legislation, which they voted for in the House of
Representatives, whilst also supporting arrangements that would have enabled the
bill to pass the Parliament today, are arrangements that will keep Australians
safe. They fill a big gap which existed in our migration system for over a
decade. By giving the Minister a power any Minister always should have had to
enable people who have no right to remain in Australia to be removed from
this country. To take those necessary steps for any orderly migration system.
As Minister O'Neill said, it's time for Peter Dutton to recognise what he has
done and to explain to the Australian people why he is not acting today to
keep the community safe.
