QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator WATT (Queensland—Minister for the Environment and Water) (15:28): Obviously I don't have those precise numbers with me as the representing minister, but if there is anything I can provide, I'll certainly do so. The question you're asking, I think, goes to actions of the ART to overturn decisions by the minister or his department to cancel visas for people who've committed very serious criminal offences.

What that demonstrates is that the minister and his department have cancelled a visa of a criminal offender. They have taken the action that they can take to cancel those visas and deport those individuals, which is exactly what should be happening. Of course, the ART, on occasion, will make a different decision.

In our previous term of office, you might recall, we changed the ministerial direction that set out the conditions that the ART should take into account—another step taken by our government to ensure that Australians are kept safe. But, as I think you've suggested in your question, if the ART does make a decision to set aside the minister's decision to cancel a visa, that will go back to the minister for reconsideration.

I know that in many, if not most, cases, the minister has made a second decision to cancel someone's visa. What that demonstrates is that this government is taking every possible action that is available to ministers to cancel visas where that needs to be done. We, of course, do provide direction to the ART about the government's position on these issues.

They are an independent body. We don't always agree with the decisions that they make. From Minister Burke's point of view, he has consistently taken strong action to ensure that those individuals who don't deserve a place in Australia have their visas cancelled.

The PRESIDENT: Senator Whitten, first supplementary?