Anthony Albanese’s government will fast-track passage of a legal change in Parliament on Thursday after a controversial High Court decision freed 83 asylum seekers, including “hardcore criminals”, from detention.
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong told the Senate on Wednesday afternoon that the federal government was considering an urgent solution following the court’s surprise ruling last week.
In a statement released this afternoon, the government went a step further and said it was “taking further action in response to the recent High Court decision which we strongly opposed” by fast-tracking the legislation through parliament on Thursday. .
“The Government will introduce and seek to pass this legislation tomorrow to better respond to the High Court decision,” Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil and Immigration Minister Andrew Giles said in a joint statement.
“The full implications will not become clear until the High Court has provided written reasons for its ruling, meaning that further legislation may be necessary once the ruling has been considered.”
Last Wednesday’s High Court decision led to the immediate release of 81 foreign-born citizens who were detained indefinitely by the government, including a pedophile who raped a 10-year-old boy in western Sydney and a Malaysian hitman who murdered to a pregnant woman.
Two other people were later released.
Ms O’Neil has openly expressed her disappointment at the decision, which the federal government opposed.
The crisis comes at a testing time for the Albanian government, as the prime minister prepares to embark on another crucial international trip to the United States to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
The crisis comes at a testing time for the Albanian government, as the prime minister embarks on another crucial international trip to the United States, to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC, summit.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton said Albanese should miss the event, which only one prime minister, Julia Gillard, missed when her father died. Several Liberal Party prime ministers have over the years stressed the significance and importance of the APEC summit.
Instead, Dutton said Albanese should work through the night to pass legislation to return asylum seekers to their detention center.
“We will sit with the government, we will sit additional hours during the night,” he said earlier Wednesday.
Dutton added that the Prime Minister must be willing to “do whatever it takes to get these people back into custody, where they belong.”
Widespread criticism of the Labor government following the decision has caused deep frustration within the government.
Ministers have so far felt their hands are tied as the High Court has not revealed the specific reasons for its decision, which could take months.
Without this information, the government will find it difficult to address the court’s decision and introduce legislation to detain asylum seekers.
But Senator Wong revealed in question time on Wednesday that ‘the government intends to introduce legislation shortly to better respond to the High Court decision.
“We hope the Opposition will help pass that legislation as soon as possible,” he said.
Anthony Albanese’s government is now signaling it will fast-track passage of a legal change through Parliament following a controversial High Court decision that released 81 asylum seekers, including “hardcore criminals”, from detention.
Albanese has been receiving criticism for his intense travel schedule lately, even though data suggests he has not traveled more than his recent predecessors.
Insiders say the timing of their trips – when ordinary Australians are struggling to pay their bills, fill their gas tanks and stock up on food – is “unfortunate”, but they have challenged the Opposition to reveal which ones they would have cut back on.
“These are our most important trading partners,” a government official said.
In 2007, Prime Minister John Howard described APEC as “an unrivaled opportunity for bilateral exchanges.”
And in 2018, then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison said APEC was an ideal opportunity for independent sovereign states to “continue to get along with each other.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong told the Senate on Wednesday afternoon that the federal government is considering an urgent solution following the court’s surprise ruling last week.
Home Secretary Clare O’Neil, along with Immigration Minister Andrew Giles, have been responsible for leading the government’s response to the crisis.
O’Neil has openly expressed his disappointment in the decision.
She told Sunrise host Nat Barr that “those crimes and those people are absolutely despicable.”
“I’m raising three children in this country and I can tell you that if there was anything in my power to keep these people detained, I absolutely would.”
With the Prime Minister abroad, responsibility will fall to Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, who also weighed in on the High Court decision.
He said public authorities were using all available options to closely monitor released asylum seekers.
“I remind Australians that we argued against this in the High Court,” he said.
‘This is not our decision. But as per the decision of the High Court, these people have been released.
‘They have been granted bridging visas with the strictest conditions possible. That was something the Government did immediately.
“We continue to evaluate what options we have here, including possible legislative responses, and we will work on that very quickly.”