The Labor Party appears to be stringing out debate on a number of relatively non-consequential bills in the House of Representatives this morning to avoid a vote on its controversial Malaysia refugee swap legislation.
Overnight, a report in the West Australian by crack parliamentary reporter Andrew Probyn – missed by all the other dailies — revealed WA Nationals crossbencher Tony Crook would slap down the government’s so-called “Malaysia Solution”, due to his concern that refugees would suffer at the hands of Malaysian authorities.
Malaysia is not a signatory to the UN refugee convention.
The yarn prompted an emergency meeting of Cabinet just after 8:30am that’s believed to have closely discussed the political fallout if a sitting government lost its first lower house vote in 80 years. Its final defeat was certain anyway with the bill to be nixed in the Senate with the help of the Greens.
On the House of Representatives Daily Program, the Migration Legislation Amendment (Offshore Processing and Other Measures) Bill is listed at number 4 in the running order behind the Work Health and Safety Bill and the Social Security Amendment Bill.
This morning’s debate, mostly before a near empty chamber, featured riveting discussions on a safety bill for firefighters, a national standard for fertiliser products, Coptic Christians in Egypt and the AQIS export service rebate. Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten droned on for a number of precious minutes on proposed PAYG non-compliance withholding laws.
At one point Labor backbencher Amanda Rishworth’s speech on the OH&S bill detoured into an (admittedly horrific) anecdote about a hot oil incident at Hungry Jacks.
Earlier, Tony Crook outlined the reasons for his rejection of the people swap solution – struck down by the High Court — in which 800 asylum seekers who arrived via boat would be exchanged for 4,000 refugees from camps in Malaysia.
“I’m disappointed that it’s come to this and the government and opposition have not been able to sort out a position on this.”
“Both sides are so close yet so far and it’s a shame that politics has got in front of compromise.”
He detailed the exchange when he informed Julia Gillard of his decision to back Tony Abbott’s amendments.
“The Prime Minister was disappointed but the Prime Minister is a pretty cool customer, she will move on from this. Obviously Scott Morrison and Tony Abbott were pleased with my decision, where we go to here from this is up to the Government and Opposition,’’ he said.
The House next meets on Monday October 31.
49 thoughts on “Crook sinks House of Reps vote on Malaysia deal”
eric
October 13, 2011 at 4:10 pmThe Gillard and the ALP have become gutless and dont know how to play the political game for keeps!
They had the chance when “the nasty piece of work” Liberal front bencher Mirrabella was expelled by the deputy speaker Peter Slipper (a Liberal) yesterday to get this through the house but were too scared of Abbott to do it.
Best they dont give phoney Tony a free kick on this one.
Just let the boats come – the more the merrier and blame Abbott and the LNP all the time for blocking the Maylasian deal or if they want to bite the bullett and get rid of this running sore re open Narau.
Ian
October 13, 2011 at 4:16 pmIf this government was really serious they should, as I prefer, rescind for now and forever any UN treaty on refugee conventions. No binding agreements equals no dramas.
skink
October 13, 2011 at 4:23 pmGeomac,
I think Suzanne and the Troofer are a double act, like Mutt and Jeff, or Abbott and Costello. They finish each other’s sentences and pinch each other’s punchlines. Difficult to tell which one is the straight man and which one the clown.
Observation
October 13, 2011 at 4:29 pmI have tried, tried so very hard to try to comprehend why it is such a big deal to do the processing on shore. Do they really think these people have a choice? Do they think they get some sort of brochure on risk management for asylum seeking and a list of destination points?
Can someone enlighten me on the people smuggling business. Are the ones who make the most money out of this the guys on the boat? I think not. The money makers wouldn’t care where they go! They would take their money and send them off in a direction, probably telling all of them they are going to Australia regardless of the destination.
TheTruthHurts
October 13, 2011 at 5:17 pm[“A vote for hunting whales or laundering money Nauru is the place. Nauru house in Melbourne gone along with its other property investments. I live in Morwell Vic. and its population is 6 to 8 thousand more than Nauru which has about 10 thousand”]
Why do Labor hacks do this? Why do they attack Nauru for being “fat”, not having good financial investments in the past, etc etc. It’s irrelevant to the debate. Nauru’s trying to give Gillard a way out of her mess and this is how you treat them. They don’t cane illegals but you won’t hear the Labor hacks talking about that.
[“No one seems to have mentioned the 4000 who were to come here as part of the swap. What happens to them ?”]
Ahhh the infamous “4000” argument.
Well we can take the “4000” under the Pacific Solution plan. In fact thats exactly what happened under the Pacific Solution, it stopped the boats while we filled our 13,750 humanitarian quota with the real deal from real refugee camps.
I’d be happy to have all our humanitarian spots filled with Burmese Chin refugee’s from Malaysia but first we must stop the boats.
[“Nauru is no longer a deterrent as over or about 70% found placement in Oz or NZ”]
It was a deterrent we know this because it stopped the boats. Come to Australia and end up further away then where you started is a real psychological hit.
Son of foro
October 13, 2011 at 5:19 pmIt’s also now illegal. Maybe policy should take more than two weeks.
Next.
TheTruthHurts
October 13, 2011 at 5:21 pm[“@ TheTruthHurts
Of the two stuffed toys with recycled material inside, I was referring to the little one with the yellow clothes. Sorry for the confusion”]
One was made in a Communist run factory and stuffed with old stalinist propaganda.
The other was manufactured in China
TheTruthHurts
October 13, 2011 at 5:31 pm[“I have tried, tried so very hard to try to comprehend why it is such a big deal to do the processing on shore.”]
Because if you do it onshore you encourage more people to come.
Sort of like a half-price sale down at Harvey Norman. Illegal Immigrants and their smugglers aren’t stupid.
[“Do they think they get some sort of brochure on risk management for asylum seeking and a list of destination points? “]
Yes. Recently when Gillard was suggesting that unaccompanied kids wouldn’t be sent to Malaysia, the boats started arriving packed full of kids and people claiming to be “unaccompanied minors”(despite obviously being over 18).
The left seem to think Australia lives in a little bubble and no one gets news of what policies we are putting in place. It would be all through Indonesia newspapers and there are websites set up specifically for illegals to see any changes in laws in different countries.
Edward James
October 13, 2011 at 5:41 pmWhy is it that MP Crook did not keep stum untill the Labor Party had called for a vote? All this seem to be an anticlimax. Edward James
Lord Barry Bonkton
October 13, 2011 at 6:09 pmDon’t feed the trolls , just buy them a room in a dodgy hotel. The video of the day is a beauty , will have to save it. Lipstick on a pig.