Subjects: Address to the Australian Cyber Security Centre Conference; investment in countering child exploitation; migration program.
EO&E...........................................................................................................................................
PETER DUTTON:
This morning was an opportunity for me, in my speech that I've just delivered, to talk about – particularly to small businesses and to families – about the threat of having a business where you don't have software protecting you online; for families, making sure as best you can with teenage kids, knowing what they are looking at online and making sure that you have got the right software of hardware products to deal with the threats that are facing families or businesses.
Obviously we have put a significant investment into the space of protecting children. In particular, as we announced only a fortnight ago with the $70 million injection of funds into the Australian Federal Police, we want to ramp up our effort to protect kids online. We are worried about children being exploited online with sexual abuse that takes place both here and overseas, pay per view pornography where children are involved, all of those things we need to combat and as a Government we are. So there's a lot that is taking place there. Obviously the work of the Cyber Security Centre with Alastair MacGibbon is crucial to the Government's effort as well.
So I am really pleased to be here this morning to highlight what I think is a particular issue of interest to Australian businesses and to Australian families and to make sure that people don't just take for granted that they are protected online. They need to get professional advice about whether or not they have the adequate protections online and of course at a government level, as we've seen with activities out of Russia and out of North Korea – to name just a couple – we are worried about the actions of state actors otherwise attacking – whether it's the Bureau of Meteorology or whether it is a government entity otherwise – we need to be cognisant of the fact that this is a significant threat and we are continuing to do all we can in that space.
Are there any questions?
QUESTION:
Mr Dutton the Prime Minister yesterday suggested that you had not canvassed the idea of reducing Australia's immigration intake. It's been contradicted by several Ministers. Is his comments accurate?
PETER DUTTON:
I saw the comments of the Prime Minister yesterday and of course I support the comments of the Prime Minister.
So there's been, as I said, a couple of weeks ago when this was first discussed about whether there should be a reduction in the NOM, or the net overseas migration number, I said at that time that I supported the number where it was. That's the Government position. That's the position I support and in terms of the Prime Minister's position, my position, there is no difference between us on these issues.
Now, I'll add to that though because as you'd expect, and as every Immigration Minister would have, I have canvassed different options around the composition of the program. We have huge surges for example in the numbers of international students coming through – which is a great thing for our economy – we have surges in the numbers of visitors coming through – which are both reflected in that NOM figure – and we need to talk more about the figures and the impact, the economic benefit of tourism, of those international visitors, all of that that plays in.
So yes of course I look at different options, but the Government's taken a decision to set the NOM at 190,000. I think it's been that, or roughly that, since about 2012. I note that last year it was down from that by about 7,000 to roughly about 183,000 and I haven't of course seen the final figures for this financial year, which we'll know about over the next couple of months – but I would expect the number to be less than 190,000 this year anyway – which is then treated as an estimates variation.
QUESTION:
This is the problem Minister because what the Prime Minister was asked yesterday, quite specifically, was has Mr Dutton ever canvassed that? Now he said that is not true and that is, on your evidence at this press conference today, a lie.
PETER DUTTON:
Sam, that's not the way to interpret it at all.
I saw the Prime Minister's comments yesterday. I've read through what the Prime Minister had to say and I fully support his comments. There's no point of difference between the Prime Minister and I. I'm not getting into who said what said at what meeting, where it was, who was sitting in the meeting and the rest of it. I don't comment, I never have, on Cabinet or other gatherings, but as I made the point before, and as you would expect; of course the Government canvasses what the program number should be. We do that each year. The 18,750 which has come up from 13,750 over the last few years, of course has been discussed – it's not just something that's arrived at.
So whether there's an increase or a decrease or consideration around where those settings should be, that is something that's contemplated from year-to-year.
I've looked at the comments that the Prime Minister made yesterday and I support those comments.
QUESTION:
In these discussions with your colleagues, did you propose reducing the immigration intake? In the canvassing?
PETER DUTTON:
Well again, I'm not going into comments or discussions and who said what and who was in the meetings and the rest of it. Others can speculate on that. I don't as a policy, and I never have in 17 years, commented on what's been discussed in Cabinet or subcommittees or whatever it might be, or gatherings of Cabinet colleagues, but as I say; as Immigration Minister, as Scott Morrison did, as Chris Bowen did, Philip Ruddock, whoever you'd like to nominate, of course there are discussions that take place around what the figures should be, the benefits of different aspects of migration. There's obviously a debate about congestion and about housing affordability and the Government's alive to all of those concerns, about geographic placement of people, trying to attract people out to the regions. They are all issues that we consider.
There were big changes that we made in relation to the 457 visa changes that we announced recently. There was obviously a debate within Cabinet, discussions that take place within different gatherings and between colleagues…
QUESTION:
…okay, was this discussed at Cabinet though or not because we've been told it wasn't discussed at Cabinet...
PETER DUTTON:
…I'll just finish, I'll just finish this.
The point that I'm making is; I'm not going into the detail of what was said at what meeting on what date. I've seen the comments of the Prime Minister yesterday and I fully endorse those.
QUESTION:
How do you endorse them when he said that you've never canvassed this when clearly you have?
PETER DUTTON:
Well again, mate, look at the comments that he made and I support those comments.
A couple of weeks ago, before this discussion, this most recent discussion came to light in yesterday's newspapers, I said that I supported the figure at 190,000. That's my position today and that hasn't changed.
QUESTION:
Just so we understand the makeup of the intake. So the 190,000 relates to permanent residency, is that correct?
PETER DUTTON:
No, so there are a number of elements to it.
QUESTION:
Including Skilled and a Family proposal. So the proposal that you canvassed to reduce the intake, did that relate to cutting either the Skills or the Family intake, or did it relate to what would be the fallout from the axing of 457s?
PETER DUTTON:
Well again Sam, I'm not going into details of discussions and on what day and the rest of it.
I look at the program. I do think we need to, frankly, I think what's been demonstrated over the last couple of days, and in this debate generally, is that we need to get a better understanding of what the NOM means.
Now as soon as you say NOM, people's eyes glaze over, fair enough, but the fact is that in large part it's driven – that number of 190,000 – is driven by people who are here as international students. And yes, they're living in units in Sydney and Melbourne. Yes, they're on buses and on roads and the rest of it, but the fact it's a multibillion-dollar sector. It employs literally thousands of Australians. It has a huge multiplier in the Australian economy and similarly with tourists. We don't want to close down the intake of tourists, and equally, we don't want to allow people in through the skilled migration program, for example, or the Family stream of the program, who we don't think meet the criteria.
The 190,000 is not some objective that is set in stone. It's a parameter that we've got there. It was less, as I say, at about 183,000 last year – so that's 7,000 less – I expect it to be less than the 190,000 this year.
But again, I'm going to talk more about the different aspects and I'm happy to talk to you about the different composition.
QUESTION:
Sure, it's a cap, not a target, but did you ever brief the Prime Minister after your discussions…Sky News has reported that you discussed this idea with the Treasurer Scott Morrison, that you discussed it with the Social Services Minister Christian Porter. Did you ever brief the Prime Minister or his office on your proposal to cut the intake by 20,000?
PETER DUTTON:
Sam, I have had literally hundreds of conversations with the Prime Minister or with the Treasurer about taxation, about welfare, about immigration, all of that. I mean we've canvassed every different aspect, as you would expect us to, as leaders in this space or as Members of the Government, of course.
QUESTION:
So you canvassed it with the Prime Minister?
PETER DUTTON:
So in terms of the reporting and the Prime Minister's response to that report, the context of where something was presented or not presented; the Prime Minister's statement yesterday was absolutely right and I stand by that.
QUESTION:
But The Australian newspaper never reported that this conversation happened in Cabinet.
PETER DUTTON:
Well Sam, I don't have anything further to add than what I've said yesterday. So I'm happy to take one more and then we'll…
QUESTION:
…just on your own leadership ambitions, is it really the appropriate time to be declaring your interest?
PETER DUTTON:
We spoke about Newspolls and all of that at the beginning of the week. As I said then, I'm not talking about any of that any more.
The opportunity now for the Government over the next 12 months is to point out that Bill Shorten is proposing taxes on pensioners, on self-funded retirees. Labor is proposing a tax on housing, on small businesses, at the same time as we're proposing to cut taxes.
So there is a lot that we'll talk about in the run-up to the next election and I think if we talk about those issues which are important, the fact that they've got…that Labor's proposing a tax on electricity prices as well, whereas we're trying to bring electricity prices down. They are the things that matter to Australians and…
QUESTION:
…what about the Christmas deadline like other colleagues are talking about?
QUESTION:
Barnaby Joyce says there is a used by date on the Prime Minister…
PETER DUTTON:
Again, I'm not commenting on any of that stuff. Alright, thank you very much.
[ends]
