Labor right faction prevails against left motion to prohibit turnbacks, however three of the opposition leader’s most senior colleagues vote in favour of ban

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

Bill Shorten has won the freedom to use boat turnbacks as part of Labor’s asylum seeker policy but lost the support of three of his most senior colleagues, who voted with the left against turnbacks.

Deputy Tanya Plibersek, senate leader Penny Wong and one time leadership rival Anthony Albanese voted against the adoption of turnbacks, effectively breaking shadow cabinet solidarity.



Albanese actively voted against turnbacks on the floor of the conference while Plibersek and Wong used proxy votes to make their opposition known to the controversial policy.



Albanese reportedly gave an impassioned speech against turnbacks in left caucus earlier in the day, saying “unlike other caucus members I won’t just sit there and do nothing”.



“This [boat turnbacks] is a red line we cannot cross.”



Leftwingers Andrew Giles and Senate candidate Murray Watt tried to cut off turnbacks with a motion ruling them out.

“Labor rejects turning away boats of people seeking asylum,” the motion said. “We believe it undermines the cooperation required to reach sustainable regional processing arrangements.”

Murray Watt also attempted to change the platform to close down detention centres if the centres had failed to “deliver humane and safe conditions”.

Both motions were defeated.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Anthony Albanese: ‘unlike other caucus members I won’t just sit there and do nothing. This [boat turnbacks] is a red line we cannot cross.’

Photograph: David Crosling/AAP

Before Giles could speak to his motion, refugee protesters interrupted him by unfurling a banner against turnbacks.

Giles said Bill Shorten would be a great advocate in government but he disagreed with his leader on turnbacks.

“I do disagree when it comes to turnbacks,” said Giles. “I regard them as inherently unsafe. I see them as an impediment to seeking a safe pathway.”

Richard Marles told delegates that the movement of people on boats between Indonesia and Australia was not undertaken by “Oskar Schindlers”.

“We have to have the full suite of measures to keep this journey shut,” said Marles.

Linda Scott, former convenor of Labor for Refugees, said turning back boats was unjust.

“It is not fair. It is not right. It is not the Labor thing to do,” Scott said.

Tony Burke said that as Labor’s last immigration minister, he saw 33 deaths at sea in four months.

“We have to show compassion to people not only in our line of sight but by everyone affected by our policies,” said Burke. “I can tell you from my perspective which policies work and which policies don’t.”

He said if people smugglers can argue to desperate people that they can get them to Australia one day, the trade would continue.

“If we give hope to the trade we will end up helping fewer people and hundreds will start the journey and never complete it.”

NSW rightwinger Matt Thistlethwaite said he used to oppose turnbacks until the drownings that occurred in 2010. He said the new immigration policy would, if implemented, see Australia’s program become the second largest in terms of humanitarian numbers and the largest per capita in the world.

Michelle O’Neill, a Victorian left delegate, spoke passionately against.

“If every country in the world adopted a policy to say we were going to turn back boats at sea, where would we be as a world?” O’Neill said.

Bill Shorten said he was counselled not to talk about boat turnbacks before the Labor conference – a policy he dropped just a day before Labor delegate meetings began.

“I thought, is there an easy way, that I did not have to give this speech, but I would not be the leader I seek to be if I ignored my own personal conviction on this matter,” Shorten said.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Protesters who interrupted the conference are escorted out by security. Photograph: Tracey Nearmy/AAP

Co-convenor of Labor for Refugees, Shane Prince, said Labor members who oppose Bill Shorten’s decision to use boat turnbacks could complain to the party’s national executive.

Prince argues that as the Labor platform already supports the United Nations refugee convention, they believe the Labor platform already prohibits turnbacks.

“If they start doing turnbacks, that is something we would consider,” Prince told Sky News.

The left motion backs the other measures proposed by Shorten and Marles such as an increased intake, independent childrens monitor, regional processing and speeding up processing asylum claims.

Anthony Albanese warns Labor against appealing to 'dark side' on turnbacks Read more

In the process of arguing for turnbacks, Shorten announced Labor’s new immigration policy:

Uses turnbacks “where it is safe to do so” but boats will not be turned back to source countries. Labor committed to providing full details of turnbacks.

For boats coming from source countries, Labor says it will have the UN high commissioner on refugees tick off all processing – whether it occurs on water or not. For example, in the recent case of a boat from Vietnam, there was no UN oversight of processing (required under the refugee convention) of the asylum seekers before they were returned to Vietnam.

Abolish temporary protection visas, first introduced by the Howard government. Labor removed them under the Rudd-Gillard government and the Abbott government brought them back, under a deal with Clive Palmer’s then-larger senate block in return for “safe haven visas” to work in regional areas.

Reinstate the United Nations refugee convention in the Migration Act, which the Abbott government removed and replaced with an interpretation of the convention.

Increase humanitarian places from 13,750 to 27,000 over the next decade.

Provides $450 million for the United Nations high commissioner for refugees in south-east Asia and the Pacific.

Labor will implement independent oversight of Manus and Nauru. It is understood there is already an oversight body but its deliberations have not been made public under the current government.

An independent children’s monitor, outside the immigration department and the ministry, will have statutory powers to advocate and investigate on behalf of asylum seeker children in detention, community detention or on bridging visas. The monitor will be able to take legal action on behalf of children but the minister would remain guardian.

Also on Saturday, Labor committed to adopt post 2020 pollution reduction targets consistent with binding Australia do its “fair share” to limit global warming to two degrees. Under the amendment, Labor must base targets on the Climate Change Authority, which currently recommends a 30% cut on 2000 levels by 2025 and 40-60% by 2030.