Extract from the WEEKLY HOUSE HANSARD Database Date: 18 November 1996 (02:37)
Ms HANSON--"My question is directed to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs. I refer to the recent Federal Court decision granting undisclosed compensation to 38 Chinese boat people. Can the minister tell the Australian taxpayers the amount of compensation granted to these Chinese boat people? If not, can the minister explain to the Australian taxpayers why details of the amount of compensation granted will not be made public?"
Mr O'Keefe--"She is a disgrace and she was preselected by the Liberal Party."
Mr SPEAKER--"Order!"
Mr O'Keefe--"We should never forget this."
Mr SPEAKER--"The member for Burke!"
Mr O'Connor--"She is a Liberal."
Mr SPEAKER--"The member for Corio."
Mr O'Keefe--"You weren't responsible for her."
Mr SPEAKER--"Order! The member for Burke!"
Mr O'Keefe--"It is where she came from."
Mr SPEAKER--"I warn the member for Burke."
Mr RUDDOCK--"I can confirm--"
Mr O'Connor--"That she is a member of the Liberal Party."
Mr SPEAKER--"I warn the member for Corio."
Mr RUDDOCK--"that a claim was brought on behalf of a number of Chinese boat people--as they have become known--who were detained at Port Hedland after they arrived in Australia. Because of the vagaries of the Immigration Act at that time, as passed by the parliament at the instigation of the former government, a situation arose that technically people were held in detention illegally--as it was found by a court. A judgment was given by Mr Justice Neaves here in the Australian Capital Territory establishing that fact. So a claim arose that needed to be quantified. That claim has been settled by the Commonwealth, on the best available terms for the Commonwealth, and the agreement that was reached with the parties provided that the actual terms would not be disclosed. I can confirm, however, that an agent acting on behalf of the parties did say that the amounts involved were certainly not millions of dollars and not hundreds of thousands of dollars. It can be deduced from those observations, made on behalf of the applicants' representative, that the amounts so far as the Commonwealth was concerned were not considerable."
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