No more asylum boat secrecy

All hail the Greens! The Abbott penchant for having only one weekly briefing on what happened to what Asylum boats is no more. The Greens have passed an Order for production of documents, forcing the gov to delay no more than 24 hours after the event the reporting of it. It also forces them to table everything in recent time that was supposedly secret from us mere minions. 

The Australian Greens’ Order for Production of Documents has been passed by the Senate and will now force the Coalition to table reports about on-water incidents under Operation Sovereign Borders. 

“This will bring an end to the Coalition’s arrogant silence,” the Greens’ immigration spokesperson, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said. 

“The tired, empty excuses and refusal to discuss so called ‘operational matters’ have shown the Australian people that secrecy is more important to this Abbott government than transparency.” 

The passage of the Greens’ transparency motion means that the government must table a report to the Parliament within 24 hours of each on-water incident that takes place under Operation Sovereign Borders. 

“The Greens will drag the Coalition, kicking and screaming if we have to, to transparency and openness. The government needs to recognise the significance of today’s decision. 

“It’s time for Operation Secret Boats to come to an end.” full text of the order here