SKYNEWS PM AGENDA
30 March 2010
Subjects: People Smuggling/Boat Arrivals
DAVID SPEERS: Ironically, if agreement can be reached with Tony Abbott and with the States, well health may not turn out to be quite the red hot election issue that Labor had hoped for. This may well be a factor in Tony Abbott's thinking; neutralise health and put the pressure back onto the Government over issues on which it is more vulnerable.
One of those areas where the Government certainly is vulnerable, is on border protection. Yesterday saw the arrival of the one hundredth boatload of asylum seekers since the Rudd Government came to office.
The Opposition used this milestone, along with the transfer of more asylum seekers to the mainlands and recent escapes at the Villawood Detention Centre, to put more pressure on the Government.
So just how strong are Australia's border protection measures?
Well, joining me now to discuss is the Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor.
Minister, thank you for joining us.
Firstly, can I start with the one hundredth boat that arrived yesterday at Christmas Island. You said that it was intercepted in the vicinity of Christmas Island, but is it correct that it actually sailed all the way into Flying Fish Cove at Christmas Island, dropped anchor and then phoned up authorities?
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: There's been a number of irregular arrivals that have arrived close to the Christmas Island shores in this manner. Of course, I've sought a briefing on exactly what occurred in that situation.
We need to remember that Christmas Island is thousands of kilometres away from the mainland. We have more resources than ever before to ensure we intercept vessels and have them processed on Christmas Island. And, indeed, under the Howard Government, there were 27 un-alerted arrivals, most of which arrived near Cairns, Townsville and Darwin.
So, by comparison, we're doing a much better job.
DAVID SPEERS: But the point is that this vessel, and others, apparently are wanting to be well, intercepted is the word that you used, but wanting to be picked up. They make the call while they're in Australian waters and, in this case, possibly right in Flying Fish Cove at Christmas Island. They're well organised. They actually want to be picked up don't they?
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: Well, of course, what we know is there's a significant number of vessels seeking to come into our shores. On those vessels there are people that are seeking asylum. Firstly, we determine their health status, their identify and security status and then, of course, if they are seeking asylum, we have those matters determined. If they're not determined to be asylum seekers, then they're sent home. Otherwise they're settled, as was the case under the previous government.
So we are processing this in an orderly manner. It is a challenge—it's a regional challenge. It's nothing like the surge that occurred under Howard, but it is a significant challenge and we're dealing with it on a day to day basis.
DAVID SPEERS: Well it's, in fact, exceeded the Howard Government's surge on a monthly basis. This month 15 boats have arrived. The peak, under John Howard, was 14 in November of 1999.
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: Actually in August 2001, there was 1645 people arrive in one month, compared with 639 this month. So I guess it depends on what you use as a measurement. There were far greater numbers people seeking asylum arriving in any one month under Howard. Indeed, they still have the gold, silver and bronze medals for the highest arrivals in three separate years.
That's not to say we're not dealing with a challenge, and as I've said we've dedicated more resources than ever before to intercept vessels and to process these people in an orderly way. What we don't like to see—and I think the Opposition has to reconsider its position—we don't like to see scaremongering or Opposition for Opposition's sake. If people have got credible alternatives to the way in which we arrange this process, then they should put them forward. But we all we get is carping, scaremongering and negativity.
DAVID SPEERS: Well I just want to stick to the facts here. While the Howard Government had a number of offshore processing places, Christmas Island, Naroo, [indistinct] Island, the Labor Government now has only Christmas Island and that appears to be right at capacity, or very near to capacity. We've seen more asylum seekers transferred to the mainland over the weekend. I understand more - 50 more were due to be transferred today. Has that happened? Where are these particular people claims at? And where are they being taken to?
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: I'm advised that those who have arrived recently to the mainland are, of course, either to be settled or, indeed, the large bulk of those that have arrived are to be sent home because their applications for asylum have failed. And so if there are…
DAVID SPEERS: They were the 89 on the weekend?
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: That's right.
DAVID SPEERS: And what about the - were there more today?
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: That's right and all I can advise you, as I'm advised, is that any further arrivals, or detainees, onto the mainland will be for the purposes of either sending them home because they're not genuine asylum seekers, as determined by the proper process or, indeed, that they're settled because they are.
As we know, this government and, indeed, the Howard Government, on certain occasions, brought people onto the mainland and we will continue to do that. And that's consistent with, I guess…
DAVID SPEERS: Okay, so…
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: …both governments' approach.
DAVID SPEERS: We're more transferred today, to the mainland?
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: I'm not advised that's the case, but I just say to you that there will be times when further detainees will be brought onto the mainland. That's either because we need to send them home via the mainland, or we're looking to settle genuine asylum seekers. This is a process that I think is orderly…
DAVID SPEERS: Why do they have to be…
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: …and consistent.
DAVID SPEERS: Okay. Why do they have to be taken to Villawood Detention Centre? The Opposition says they should just be transferred through Sydney Airport and flown home directly. Why do they need to spend weeks or months even at Villawood Detention Centre?
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: Well, firstly, we've indicated that if—there are those that seek an independent review of the decision. They have that capacity. But further to that, this is a logistical challenge. We need to make sure we get this process right. There are people from different countries, different places of origin that are going home and we will need to make sure we do this properly.
You know, we're dealing with human beings here. Now they have—they have failed in their applications. Some may still have an independent review. But we are dealing with men and women and children, in some cases, and we will deal with them humanely and fairly. But we are doing it consistent with the proper approach, that is, if they are genuine asylum seekers, we will assist them in seeking settlement. If they are not, we will send them home and we'll do it in a manner that - we will not treat them like freight.
DAVID SPEERS: Yeah, okay. But isn't - I'm just wondering, in the reason here for transferring them to the mainland, you've explained it there that this is to transit them home. Isn't it also because Christmas Island is full? Isn't that the main reason they're being transferred?
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: Well Christmas Island is not full, but you've indicated that it's certainly had more detainees in recent times than was the case a little while ago. And that's why the Minister for Immigration has set about increasing the expansion of the Christmas Island facility. And I'm advised by mid-April there will be a further 400-bed purpose built facility for detainees.
So we're looking to make sure that we maintain the offshore processing in Christmas Island and we're doing that. And, of course, we're just dealing with this challenge in a practical way.
DAVID SPEERS: Okay, but you're honestly saying that these transfers have nothing to do with the capacity problems at Christmas Island at the moment?
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: I'm advised that they have been brought here for purposes of either settlement or for return and that's only proper. There may be other reasons for people to be here including - and I'm not - I can't go to individuals - but, indeed, as you know, earlier there's been people sent here for medical reasons and the same was the case under the Howard Government. And we'll continue to apply a practical approach to these issues as we go about ensuring that Christmas Island remains the offshore processing centre for…
DAVID SPEERS: Okay, but nothing to do with…
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: …those people seeking asylum.
DAVID SPEERS: Nothing to do with making more beds available at Christmas Island for the boats that continue to arrive?
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: Well I've heard that conjecture. I can only say to you David that I'm advised that people are being brought here to be sent home or, indeed, if they are coming here, they're here to be settled. And there may be other reasons. But no, I've not been given advice to the contrary.
DAVID SPEERS: All right. What about the security problems we've seen at Villawood. Seven people have escaped from there this month. Is that concerning you?
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: Well obviously it's always a concern if a - the principal contractor, in this case Serco, doesn't fulfil its own obligations in maintaining the security of a particular centre. And so we need to make sure they do a better job and, indeed, I know that the Minister for Immigration has sought an urgent report about that particular incident.
I understand that there's been far worse occasions. About 10 years ago, when there was a much larger break-out of detainees from three centres. But, we need to make sure that those contractors - they're get taxpayer's money to maintain and oversight the facilities - do their job and they need to account for their behaviour in this regard.
DAVID SPEERS: I do want to ask you - I know this argument about what is attracting asylum seekers here, whether it's pull factors, or push factors. You mention the fact that this government is offering a more humane approach to dealing with these asylum seekers. You make that very public. You, of course, have also reinstated permanent visas, rather than the temporary visas.
Why isn't this encouraging asylum seekers? They are clearly sophisticated enough to know the phone number to ring when they get into Australian waters. Why wouldn't they be looking at these factors of a more humane approach under this government, and being attracted to Australia in greater numbers?
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: Well in the end we determine whether people are genuinely seeking asylum and if they're not, they go home. Whilst we treat people fairly and we treat people humanely, we also apply rigorously the assessments in order to ensure that they are genuine asylum seekers.
And I guess the reason why the Government has continued to say that this is mainly due to external factors, is because of the conflicts in Sri Lanka and, indeed, the war in Afghanistan. And, indeed, the previous Minister for Immigration, Philip Ruddock said as much, 10 years ago, when he made clear that external factors were primarily the response - the reason for the significant numbers…
DAVID SPEERS: Primarily - primarily, but the pull factors are a part of it aren't they?
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: Well I think the major pull factor is that people seek to come to industrialised countries and - one of which is Australia.
But I think we have to remember where we sit in all of this. So this is a global problem. We're sixteenth on the list of industrialised countries that are a target for people seeking asylum. We have less than two per cent of those that are applying for asylum. So in the context of the global problem, whilst it's a challenge and it's something we need to deal with, we have to remember that in the scheme of things, our challenge is not as great as many other countries.
DAVID SPEERS: All right. Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor, we'll have to leave it there, but thank you for joining us today.
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: Yeah, thanks David.
