Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee, , 9:20:51 to 9:23:38
Debate over the government's commitment to a 20,000-person humanitarian intake and whether recent statements constitute a 'captain's call' by the Prime Minister.
Topics: Social services, Government spending
Speakers: Eliza Strapp, Hon Jane Hume, Blair Exell, Dr Steven Kennedy, Unknown Speaker, Ms Anthea Harris
Hugh.
>> Thank you. Uh I have some questions. Dr. Kennedy, before we let you go, um about uh the refugee humanitarian intake and the prime minister decision and potential intervention on this one. On the 27th of August, the prime minister texted a journalist at the ABC that the 20,000 intake remains government policy and will be continued in future years. I want to understand whether that text was cleared with the department. Was it cleared with a cabinet division or with the treasurer before it was was sent or or or with you personally?
>> Uh the text wasn't cleared with me um personally. I'll just ask my colleagues to um respond. Um
>> thank you Blair Exod deputy secretary social policy and cabinet group. No, the text was not cleared with um social policy group.
Okay, thank you. So before that text, I I want to know whether any uh cabinet or ERC decision had been taken to continue the humanitarian program at 20,000 beyond 2627.
>> Um hi Senator Eliza Strap um first assistant secretary um social policy division. um the humanitarian program um or the the 20,000 um the 20,000 number um as I think as the prime minister stated um is um uh is in place until next year. Um there has uh there is a process that um as I think the and I can um get where the the I've got the statement where the prime minister made um it is under as he said the government's supporting the extension but it just has to go through the process of um uh of uh I guess consideration of the funding amount and um how it will um uh work with home affairs. So um uh it hasn't been through the formal decision-m process um but it has um uh it has been um I guess it has been flagged as a decision that'll be made in myo. Um so the prime minister made that statement when he talked about the extension and the intention to extend it. Um the the discussion or the um decisions just haven't been um formalized and they will be undertaken in by EO.
have the the quote if that helps. So, great. >> The prime minister stated the refugee intake needs to be renewed in the upcoming budget as the 20,000 places was available for four years. >> This intake number remains government policy and will be continued in future years consistent with Australia's humanitarian commitments and sits beside our strong border security measures.