Page 2712 - Week 09 - Thursday, 8 August 2013
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I accept that for some members this is a very difficult issue. But my motion was framed in a way, in quite broad terms, which reflected a general disquiet and the fact that Australia should and can do more for those who are fleeing persecution. If members do not want to support that, that is fine. That is their choice. But to descend to an entirely personal attack, to not go to the substance, reflects on other members. My case is simply that the treatment of asylum seekers is wrong, that I think sending people to Papua New Guinea and Nauru is not okay.
I have spent time in Papua New Guinea. It is a country that has a considerable challenge ahead of it in terms of its own development and dealing with the needs of its own people. And I have considerable concerns about the impact on the communities in Papua New Guinea and the potential for social unrest that will arise by Australia simply seeking to dump these people in a country without the means to support them.
Having seen what conditions are like in Papua New Guinea, having friends in Papua New Guinea, I do not believe that Australia, because of our insecurities over this, our fear-driven policies, can morally shift these people to Papua New Guinea and Nauru which do not have the capability that we do to address this problem. I think it is wrong to simply dump our perceived problem onto poorer neighbours.
Finally, I wanted to bring this discussion forward because I do believe there is a better way to deal with this. The Greens’ plan, which is humane, legal and effective, is a different way to deal with this. There is a better path here than the approach that has been taken. And I think potentially, if this Assembly agreed—and clearly it does not—this Assembly could say, “We believe there is a better way to do this.”
So I am disappointed that members have seemed to react to it in that way. I think it is a shame. It is not the spirit in which I brought it. They will obviously assert differently. So be it. I think it does reflect on their own insecurities.
That said, I will be supporting Mr Corbell’s amendment. As I said earlier, I agree with the points that he has made. There are real issues around having people in the community who are unable to work, who are unable to find the means to support themselves and who are left in a place where their self-esteem can only deteriorate. So I thank Mr Corbell for the comments he made. I think that they are issues that are equally of concern. It is a shame that we could not simply have combined the motion and the amendment. I think we could have conveyed both points. Nonetheless, I will be supporting the amendment brought forward by Mr Corbell.
Question put:
That the amendment be agreed to.
The Assembly voted—
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