Cambodia very credible to deal with: Dutton

Ashley Hall reported this story on Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Peter Dutton, Australian Minister of Immigration

ASHLEY HALL: The Cambodian transfer arrangement is the responsibility of the new Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, who's begun his first year in the portfolio with a fresh round of upheaval gripping the Manus Island detention centre.

Peter Dutton joined me now.

Minister, welcome to AM, when should we expect to see refugees from Nauru resettling in Cambodia?

PETER DUTTON: Well it's good to be on the program.

The point that I'd make is that the Government did inherit a significant mess from Labor when it came into the issue of immigration. Under Scott Morrison we've been able to stop the boats and that threat still presents on a regular basis, so we have to make sure as a Government that we have absolute resolve to make sure that people come to our borders in a different way, in a managed way.

But for those people who are in centres at the moment, we need to try to find pathways for them. So there is an orderly process that takes place; we identify those who are refugees and those who aren't and then we have an opportunity from there to be able to enter into discussions with third countries or countries of origin to see where we can return those people to - as I say in a managed way...

ASHLEY HALL: The Australian Government's done a $40 million deal with Cambodia for the resettlement of refugees, how many refugees do you expect to actually take up that option and when will it go ahead?

PETER DUTTON: Well actually our discussions are ongoing with Cambodia and I'll go to Cambodia shortly. I don't want to publicly comment at this point in time about the specific details.

Suffice to say we have had productive discussions; they are ongoing with a number of third parties, third party countries and we have the opportunity to clean up Labor's mess that we inherited in relation to people who are now in detention. And we seen a very clear message, particularly those ring leaders on Manus at the moment and over the course of the last few days that have been causing significant disruption, that those people will not be settled in our country and I have said that publicly before and I repeat it again today...

ASHLEY HALL: We'll come to the Manus Island situation in just a moment. I wanted to cover off Cambodia first off, how confident are you that Cambodia will meet the conditions the IOM (International Organization for Migration) has stipulated before it will facilitate the movement and when will we see that flow?

PETER DUTTON: Well as I say we've got a very productive discussion going with Cambodia; I'll conduct that conversation in private. They are a very significant partner for us, they are very credible to deal with and we have further discussions to take place, which will take place in private, not publicly. 

ASHLEY HALL: Alright. Let's move to the situation in the Manus Island detention centre.

The PNG government says the standoff between asylum seekers and staff in Delta compound came to an end yesterday afternoon; is it over now?

PETER DUTTON: Well I think the first point to make is I want to say thank you to the PNG government. I think the way in which their staff have behaved, the way in which they have managed the situation has been very, very impressive indeed.

It is a volatile situation on the ground and I provided public updates over the course of the last few days advising that the situation was escalating. Yesterday afternoon, the PNG authorities took a decision they wanted to enter into the facility to provide support, particularly to those who had been denied support to those who were in need of medical assistance, and those people who didn't want to partake in the activities of others. And the PNG authorities as well as Transfield, my own departmental staff, I think have acted in an exemplary way.

But nonetheless, the threat is ever present and we are monitoring it; I think we're handling it exceptionally well in the circumstances and I would just say again to the PNG government that the way in which they professionally acted yesterday I think should be praised and praised widely.

ASHLEY HALL: The PNG government says the detainees were restrained by security guards in that action that brought the protest to an end and one asylum seeker has told the ABC that he witnessed guards beating those in Delta compound. How violent was the resolution of this matter?

PETER DUTTON: Well I've seen none of those reports and I think there's been some very irresponsible reporting if I might say. I think there have been reports that been repeated, for example on the ABC around food that's been denied - that is complete and utter nonsense on the advise available to me. The reports on the ABC about water being denied, complete rubbish.

ASHLEY HALL: So is food and water getting through to all detainees?

PETER DUTTON: It's getting through and it's not being denied. There have been some circumstances where ring leaders within the people who are in the processing centre have denied staff access into particular areas or the delivery of that food.

Now that is not a refusal of food by authorities and I think it's quite irresponsible frankly for those claims to be repeated and I've heard them again this morning on the ABC and I think it should be clarified, and that is the position as it's been advised to me and now that I've given that clarification. I'd be very surprised to see those nonsensical claims repeated.

ASHLEY HALL: More than one observer has made the point that tensions in the centre are similar to those that led up to the riot that ended in the death of detainee Reza Berati, do you share those concerns that tensions are at that point?

PETER DUTTON: No I think we've learnt lessons over the course of the last 12 months, and again I think Scott Morrison, General Campbell, the head of my own department, the departmental staff, have done an exceptional job over the course of the last 12 months.

The Prime Minister, our Prime Minister, has been actively engaged in making sure that we have proper processes in place. Over the course of the last several days, I've received regular briefings on a daily basis; we have monitored the situation carefully and I think it's being dealt with appropriately and we want to deescalate the tension that's there. We want to remove those ring leaders who are advocating for non-compliance - it is not going to help people's cases.

And I'll also say that there have been advocates outside of the centre who have not been helpful in this situation either, and I would ask them to desist because they are not helping people within Manus.

We have a very clear responsibility in our country to make sure that we secure our borders; we are doing that and we will not step back from it, and we have an obligation to make sure that we manage those people who are in centres at the moment to a refugee outcome or to a return of their country of origin.

ASHLEY HALL: Just to clarify: is there still a protest, is there still conflict underway in the Manus Island detention centre?

PETER DUTTON: There will still be some people who will refuse to take water or food or will self-harm, and we don't want to see that. But I say to those people that that activity, if you've been advised by people, by advocates or others to conduct yourself in a non-compliant way in terms of a disruptive behaviour or if somebody within the facility or otherwise, a ring leader is telling you that somehow it is going to help you, it is not. And I repeat that again today, it is not.

And that is, I think, for the Government, something that we need to do continue to prosecute that message, because in the end we want to help these people return to their country of origin. They are not coming to Australia and that has been made very clear.

ASHLEY HALL: Just one final question on the question of reforming Medicare, there are reports you and the Treasurer opposed the plan to cut the Medicare rebate for short GP visits within Cabinet - did you oppose it?

PETER DUTTON: Well I just don't have any public comment to make in relation to Cabinet discussions. As a government, we've been determined to make sure that Medicare is on a sustainable path; it's had a 45 per cent increase in expenditure on Medicare over the course of the last five years and I think Susan Ley's doing an exceptional job in making sure that Medicare is sustainable.

And I'll leave any comment in relation to health policy to the Health Minister.

ASHLEY HALL: Peter Dutton thank you very much.

PETER DUTTON: Thanks so much.