STATEMENT ON ELECTORATE OFFICE PROTEST Today there was a small protest outside my electorate office. I was advised by the organiser that despite arrangements having already been made to meet and discuss their issues, a ‘loose coalition’ of protestors would nevertheless gather out the front of my office this morning. After attending to other pre-arranged commitments, I went out to see the group however they had departed after about 45 minutes, upon leaving material with my office. The ‘loose coalition’ seemed to be unaware of or indifferent to the Government’s continuing efforts, that started immediately upon our election, to reduce the number of children in detention resulting from Labor’s policy failures. For those seemingly only now finding their protest voices there is a failure to recognise the positive work and progress being made by the Abbott Government in dealing with the dire consequences of Labor’s policy failures. It has indeed been an enormous challenge to deal with and to clean up the appalling predicament that was left to us as an incoming Government. Under our Government, the number of children on Christmas Island has dramatically reduced by 75%. There is now an almost 50% reduction across all centres, including offshore protection centres, due to our successful border protection policies. More than 80% of children are residents in the community either on bridging visas or under resident determinations. More than 8,000 children arrived on illegal boats under the previous government. The peak number for children in immigration detention was in July 2013 with almost 2,000 accommodated under Labor’s failed policies. We are working quickly and purposefully to get the remaining children out of detention in Australia now that legislation has been passed by the parliament.
Posted on: Mon, 08 Dec 2014 02:56:05 +0000
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