TB questions asked of immigration minister

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Created on Monday, 18 February 2013 14:55

Written by Editorial staff

Immigration minister Brendan O'Connor has made assertions about the Coalition's border policy, as he himself is fending off questions about the conditions in detention centres.

It has been confirmed that a former employee of the Christmas Island and Villawood detention centres has contracted tuberculosis, while a number of detainees escaped from the Manus Island facility (February 14) - both issues have yet to be addressed by the minister.

An Australian Associated Press report suggested that up to 20 people escaped from the island facility.

Shadow minister for immigration and citizenship Scott Morrison said a "please explain" is required from the newly appointed minister.

He said: "Minister O'Connor cannot send out department officials as a human shield for his own accountability.

"Labor must be accountable for their failures and not seek to push the blame off to public servants and put them in the firing line."

It's important, the shadow spokesperson said, that Mr O'Connor takes full responsibility - given that he is the man in charge of the portfolio.

The Coalition frontbencher said that the decent thing for the minister to do would be to address the media himself and fully explain what has gone wrong with the border policy and the detention of illegal arrivals.

But Mr O'Connor has appeared unconcerned with the volatile issues surrounding his portfolio, as he made accusations that Tony Abbott's plan to not increase the refugee intake would foster more arrivals.

The leader of the opposition has made it clear he will keep the intake at 13,500 - as opposed to moving the limit to 20,000.

The minister said: "Tony Abbott has shown his blatant ignorance about how the people smugglers work."

He added that the Gillard government is dedicated to "breaking the people smugglers' business model" by implementing the Houston Panel. He is insisting that the implementation of the Houston Panel's recommendations is a remedy - in spite of near daily arrivals of those with no immigration visa or documentation.

Despite the assertions that the Coalition doesn't understand proper border policy, another boat with 35 people on board arrived yesterday (February 18th).

The member for Cook also said that the recent deportation of an Australian senator from Malaysia highlighted how the government couldn't be expected to conduct deals over asylum seekers with the Asian nation.

Mr Morrison explained: "If our government cannot secure guarantees for Australian senators, then what credible claim could they make for people transferred without any legally binding protections."