“Dear Ela,

Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about indefinite detention and adverse security assessments.  Accepting legitimate refugees, and ensuring they go through a positive settlement process in Australia, is a vital part of being a humanitarian nation.

Unfortunately, when a government loses control of its borders – as we have seen in the last five years – it loses control of its detention network.  With 550 boats arriving since Labor took power, and more than 30,000 people claiming asylum, true refugees have been caught up in this massive influx of illegal migrants.

At the recent inquiry into detention, ASIO presented evidence that showed people coming by boat were twenty times more likely to receive a negative ASIO assessment than people coming by any other method. They also said that of the people who came by plane and sought asylum, not one person in the last three years received a negative ASIO clearance.

I am in full support of the Coalition’s long-held policy on ASIO clearances, which is that these assessments are what the government of the day must rely on and their procedures and processes are paramount to the security of this country.

I also do not believe that ASIO rulings should be reviewable.  The current processes that ASIO go through are already incredibly sensitive and we rely on them absolutely.  ASIO makes a finding based on their assessment and the government then makes a decision about a visa.

The Coalition’s policy that we will be taking to the election on September 14 is to go back to the source and ensure that people are not coming on boats. We must have these strong measures in place – temporary protection visas which enable people’s refugee status to be reviewed, offshore processing and turning the boats back where it is safe to deter people smuggling operations.

I hope this outlines my, and the Coalition’s, position. 

Warm regards,

Warren”