THE HON. BILL SHORTEN

LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION

MEMBER FOR MARIBYRNONG

SPEECH TO THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTYS NATIONAL CONFERENCE

MELBOURNE EXHIBITION AND CONVENTION CENTRE, MELBOURNE

SATURDAY, 25 JULY 2015

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Delegates, I open the secondday of our conference and I'dlike to do so by treating this conference with respect andaddressing a question ofprofound significance for ourparty and our nation.

The needfor a more humane and saferapproach to asylum seekers.

Iknow people will bring different perspectives anddeeply held principles to thisdebate.

I know that we do notall agree.

But, undoubtedly forall of us, our motives and views aregenuinely held.

We know thatAustralia is a nation writlarge because of migration.

Weshould never forget the debt weowe to generations of migrants,and refugees, who in seeking abetter life have enriched thelives of all Australians.

There can be no doubt thatimmigration has unreservedlybeen one of the secretsof Australian success.

We are proud so many of us are Australians by choice.

We are ademocratic party and everyone is entitled to their view.

And inthis afternoon's debate everyview will be offered, thatis as it should be.

Thismorning, though I want to behonest with you and through youhonest with the Australian people.

I do believe in a newdirection for Labor'simmigration policies.

I want usto accept more refugees andensure that we treat refugeesmore humanely.

I also want toguarantee that we keep closedthe lethal journey between Javaand Christmas Island which hasalready claimed so manylives.

I stand here before youas the alternative Prime Minister ofAustralia to explain how I have arrived at my position.

I believe that Australia can bethe greater, kinder nation thatwe want our children to see.

Istand here to explain what aLabor Government should do todeal with the unprecedentedglobal humanitarian crisis ofdisplaced people.

And why I havecome to believe that thispolicy keeps faith with ouruniversal Labor values and theinterests of all Australians.

ALabor Government will keep morepeople safe in a more humaneway.

Safe from persecution bydictatorial regimes.

Safe fromthe exploitation of criminalpeople smugglers who prey uponthe vulnerable.

Safe from abusein facilities that fail to evenmeet a basic standard ofdecency.

And safe from losingthe people they love, fromhaving their families tornapart by drownings at sea .

Inaddressing this question,unlike our opponents, we donot play to the politics offear.

The Labor Party I lead will neveruse labels to denigrate desperate people.

Fleeingpersecution is not a crime.

And wedo not seek to pander to anoisy, tiny minority who willnever embrace modernmulticultural Australia.

Butthere are important truths we must face.

There is a historyand a reality that we cannotignore.

The challenge before usis real, the questions wegrapple with as elemental aslife and death.

We must ensurethat Australian Navy andCustoms officials and BorderForce people never again facethe catastrophic task ofpulling bodies from the wateroff Christmas Island.

We mustmaintain the regional resettlement agreements thatLabor introduced, the mosteffective deterrent and theclearest message to immoralpeople smugglers and theircriminal networks.

We knowLabor's framework ensuredpeople smugglers could nolonger advertise their falsepromise of settlement in Australia.

Within two months ofLabor's regional agreementsvessel arrivals dropped by90 per cent.

We also understand in adifficult world where there arenow over 60 million displacedpeople through no fault oftheir own, that the regionalchallenge of displaced peopleseeking a better life will onlyincrease and their desperation,risking their lives, and thelives of their loved ones inunsafe vessels, will onlybecome more intense.

Delegates,we should never tolerate the exploitation of vulnerablepeople.

But we must never allowpeople smugglers to takeadvantage of a perceived weakness.

Delegates, byeliminating incentives forpeople smugglers, by ensuringthat they are unable to trafficin their lethal lies, we canensure that Australia providessafe haven to a greater shareof refugees and the displacedpeople arrive here more safely.

That iswhy a Labor Government must have the optionof turning boats around, when it is safe.

Delegates, I say todaythat by 2025 a Labor Governmentwill double Australia's annualhumanitarian refugee intake to27,000 people.

And because Labor believes inshowing leadership in ourregion, we will dedicate aportion of our program toresettling refugees from ourregion.

We will abolishtemporary protection visaswhich trap people in thatunfair state of limbo.

We willreinstate the UN refugeeconvention in the Migration Actto reverse the AbbottGovernment's retrograde effortsto undermine international law.

And at a time wheninternational humanitarian needis greater than ever, when wehave all been witness to theshocking images of deaths inthe Mediterranean this year.

A Labor Governmentwill deliver historic $450million contribution to the UNhigh commissioner for refugees, boosting thecapacity of the UNHCR in SouthEast Asia and the Pacific.

We will take up theoverdue leadership role withinour region, working and engagingwith our neighbours, especiallyour largest neighbour, Indonesia.

We will build ahumanitarian framework toaddress the significantlong-term challenge thataffects all of us in South-EastAsia.

Delegates, Labor supportsregional processing.

Butprocessing offshore does not, for one minute, mean we canoffshore or outsource ourresponsibility to treat peoplefleeing from persecution withhumanity.

Vulnerable people shouldnever be subject to degradingviolence in Australia's name.

And to guarantee the safety ofall in detention Labor will work with our internationalpartners to implementindependent oversight of everyAustralian funded facility.

We willmake sure that refugee claimsare processed as quickly aspossible, by restoringaccess to the Refugee ReviewTribunal and increasing transparency for processingtimes.

Above all, a Labor Governmentwill fulfil the solemn duty weowe to the youngest people inour nation's care.

If we areelected, we will end the moralshame of children in detentionas quickly as possible.

And we will establish anindependent children'sadvocate.

This will be astrong voice, separate from thedepartment, separate from theMinister, separate fromgovernment, serving only the interests of children seekingasylum.

And, in addition to theexisting protectingwhistle-blower safeguards, Laborwill legislate to imposemandatory reporting of anychild abuse in all facilities.

This is Labor'scomprehensive plan.

It is a planthat will ensure that Australiatakes our fair share ofrefugees.

A plan that saysthat refugees in our care aretreated with greater dignityand more humanity.

A plan that ensures thatAustralia steps up and fulfilsa greater responsibility as agood global citizen.

Delegates,you and I know these arecomplex issues.

We engage with themintellectually, morally, emotionally.

But I did notenter politics to shirk hard decisions.

Istand here determined.

Determined for our country tobe responsible in the world andsecure at home.

Determined forus to be welcoming, kind,compassionate and safe, and determined that Labor will achieve thisfor Australia.

ENDS