Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee [Part 2], , 2:13:45 to 2:19:14
Inquiry into the budget and locations for 250 new detention beds, including concerns about the potential detention of children and human rights implications.
Topics: Child safety, Human rights
Speakers: Senator David Shoebridge, Stephanie Foster, Speaker 1, Unknown Speaker, Gavan Reynolds, Hon Murray Watt, Vanessa Holben
we will move to the AFP. We are considering that a hard marker. Uh so senators have assisted the chair by agreeing to put a number of questions on notice. So apologies in advance for the extra paperwork that you will now have to do. Uh but uh it is outpressing. So I will now hand the call to Senator Shoebridge.
>> Um thanks chair. Um how many escapes have there been um uh from secure journeys uh facilities um since you provided the the since the 11 escapes detailed in your answer in May? How many further escapes? >> Neil.
>> Yeah. No escapes, Senator.
I don't know if the question is best to you commissioner or it's to the minister or the secretary. Um the the the minister indicated that the government will be adding 250 beds in immigration detention and 100 new officers. Um is there a budget cost for that? Do we know how
>> Senator, I'm not sure I have the the there was a an envelope and I'm not sure how it breaks down so I'm afraid I'll have to take it on notice unless anyone else can help me.
>> Commissioner
>> uh no I don't have that figure Senator.
>> Well could I ask each of you to provide it on notice because you may have it separately. Of course some of it may be in ABF. Some of it may be in the
>> I can take responsibility for that. Um
uh where will those 250 new um beds slash detention um places be?
>> We are still working through that detail.
>> Um will there be children um or will this will this detention arrangements permit the detaining of children?
>> So Senator, as you know the um focus is on unlawful non-citizens. uh we are able to detain children. >> So yes normal it is possible arrangements
>> detaining children is part of what you'd be building detention centers for. I assume you'll be building facilities um capable of detaining children. Is that
>> So uh our strong preference is always Senator for children to go to an alternate place of detention.
Well, I'm asking about are you build will any of these 250 new detention um um spots in immigration detention um will they be built so as children can
still working through the options of what will be built, but but it will be part of the broader network, Senator. So, we will have the flexibility um to use the resources of the network
more broadly. Well, um, Minister, has the government learned nothing from the pre205 experience of detaining children's, the human rights commission's reports, the reports of the depression and the self harm and the the wave of despair that children in detention experienced pre 2015 have built on that.
>> I think Mr. Reynolds has already told you what uh the preferred arrangements are in relation to children. And I
should add, Senator, that children are not the target of this
>> well if
>> operation.
>> Well, if they if their parents are being detained um or um they'll be caught up in the system. They may they may themselves be as you described unlawful and as you said, it's open under the law for you to be detaining children in these detention facilities. And
>> I don't think those things are contradictory, Senator. I said those things are true. children [clears throat] are not the target of this operation.
>> Um could I ask you in relation to Naru Airlines? Um Naru Airlines um has received a series of visas and I'm informed that a series of Naru Airlines employees have been working in Australia under visitor visas. Um and that um and that there is um are you aware as to whether or not and can you undertake investigations as to whether or not um Naru Airlines employees and executives have entered Australia on visitors visas to perform
>> No, Senator, I'm not aware. We need to
Naru Air Corporation um um has it been monitored as an approved subclass 482 sponsor?
>> Senator, I'm not aware of that, Mich.
And also just indicating after the Sorry to start speaking halfway through your sentence there. Uh indicating that once we've got the answer to this question,
Sen, we're just trying to establish normally that would be an outcome to question because it's about visas. Um, but not to be unhelpful. We would of course not comment on specific visas.
>> Thank you, Senator Shoebridge. I'm now going to rotate the call and go to Senator Dian.