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EMMA ALBERICI, PRESENTER: First we will discuss the week in politics. Earlier tonight I was joined from Adelaide by the Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Labor's Nick Champion and in Sydney by the Coalition's Paul Fletcher, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Communications.
Gentlemen, welcome.
PAUL FLETCHER, PARL. SECRETARY TO THE MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS: Thank you.
NICK CHAMPION, SHADOW PARL. SECRETARY FOR HEALTH: Thanks.
EMMA ALBERICI: One hundred and fifty or so Tamils are said to have been intercepted at sea trying to make their way to Australia. Paul Fletcher, what does the future hold for those people?
PAUL FLETCHER: Well, as the Immigration Minister has said on a number of occasions this week, we don't comment on on-water operational matters. And the reason for that is that we don't want to give people smugglers information which may be of assistance to them. But we are consistently and calmly implementing the policies that we took to the 2013 election and we've not had a successful people smuggling venture arrive in Australia since mid-December last year.
EMMA ALBERICI: That doesn't mean there haven't been successful departures?
PAUL FLETCHER: Well, we've not had a successful people smuggling venture arrive in Australia since December last year and that's a contrast with what we saw under the previous government when there were some 50,000 people who arrived by boat without a visa, and of course, tragically, some 1,200 deaths at sea. And so what we are focused on is safety at sea and, of course, meeting our international obligations.
Nick Champion, the Government has stopped the boats. Don't they deserve credit for that?
NICK CHAMPION: Well, I think, Paul, the last part of Paul's answer is the important one and that is our international requirements. And really at the heart of the Refugee Convention is an obligation not to return people to persecution.
And that would be our main concern, I think, with this, with the speculation about these particular boats: is that people are being very quickly assessed - that's what's being alleged - and then being returned potentially to the Sri Lankan navy.
So there are some very real concerns, but I suppose it's very hard to make judgments about what the Government is doing because of the complete lack of transparency in this area. And that should be of a concern to every Australian because we do want to fulfil our obligations under the Refugee Convention, because that is an important set of principles that was handed down after the terrible experiences around the Jewish people in World War II.
EMMA ALBERICI: What of Paul Fletcher's comment about denying people smugglers that information that would potentially assist their operations?
NICK CHAMPION: Well, I think you've got to balance these things, and we've got to balance, obviously combatting people smuggling ventures with, you know, the right of the Australian people to know what the Government is doing in their name. And transparency is seen to be a good thing generally by politicians in relation to government. It helps the Opposition, journalists and the people of Australia hold the Government to account.
And in this area of all areas, a very contentious area, an area that excites the passions, we've got a Government that is just, you know, snubbing its nose or thumbing its nose at democracy. So a basic principle of democracy.
EMMA ALBERICI: Paul Fletcher, why should Australians be denied any information at all about what steps the Navy is taking to stop the boats?
PAUL FLETCHER: Well, what you've seen from Immigration and Border Protection Minister Scott Morrison over the time that he has been in that job and doing a very successful and effective job: he has been regularly updating the Australian people and the media when there are things to say, but the...
