Source: ABC Online
Reporter: Catherine McGrath
ELEANOR HALL: The Government has delayed debate on its controversial Migration Bill, as it tries to deal with a backbench revolt that could scuttle the bill.
In the most serious division the Howard Government has faced since it won office a decade ago, 10 Coalition members and Senators are now opposing the Bill, which would force all asylum seekers who arrive by boat to be processed offshore.
The Immigration Minister, Amanda Vanstone is now making conciliatory noises and says she is looking very closely at the highly critical Senate committee report into the legislation.
And Chief Political Correspondent Catherine McGrath reports that Senator Vanstone has already conceded on one of the key demands of the rebel Coalition group.
CATHERINE MCGRATH: This is a serious stoush and the most potentially damaging division the Howard Government has faced.
Last time there was disagreement over asylum seekers a so-called gang of four led by Petro Georgiou in the House of Representatives were involved. This time it's become a gang of 10.
Joining in now are people like Barnaby Joyce, and new Queensland Senator, the former Associate Professor of International Relations at Griffith University, Liberal Russell Trood.
This morning even Family First Senator Steve Fielding was voicing concerns over the legislation.
STEVE FIELDING: With the asylum seeker issue, we should always put Australia first and another country second. This is Australia and I say to the Government, Australia first and Indonesia second.
The issue here is a very complex issue. I am concerned about the offshore processing. I am concerned also about the time it takes, and I think that Family First have been always on the issue that having people in detention for two, three, four, five, six, seven years is just a joke.
CATHERINE MCGRATH: Minister Amanda Vanstone rejects claims the Government is kowtowing to Indonesia.
AMANDA VANSTONE: Nobody likes that concept of kowtowing to anybody. I mean let's not put this in Australia-Indonesia. No individual, no nation state likes to be seen in the context of kowtowing.
But I just remind everybody, the Indonesians were very upset that we refused to kowtow and went ahead with our normal processes and commitments and gave the 42 Indonesian West Papuans protection visas.
CATHERINE MCGRATH: But speaking on AM this morning Amanda Vanstone said that she is taking the backbench concerns seriously.
AMANDA VANSTONE: Well look, I'm not going to discuss the contents of the negotiations. I don't think that's fair. I'm not aware that any of the people with whom I'm negotiating are doing that and I think it would be bad faith for me to do it.
But I can say this: we're looking very, very closely at the Senate committee report. I said before, you'd expect that from any minister, but especially one who's, what, 21 years in Parliament, has been in the Senate, with a lot of committee work.
So we're looking very, very closely at what we can do to listen to those concerns and accommodate them...
CATHERINE MCGRATH: Would you consider...
AMANDA VANSTONE: Hold on... and we are also looking at what my colleagues, both in the House of Reps and in the Senate have raised and we're looking carefully at that. That's proper process.
CATHERINE MCGRATH: Will you consider allowing any legitimate claims - people who have legitimate claims - to be settled in Australia?
AMANDA VANSTONE: Well, you know, there's a bit of a furphy going around here that we've said absolutely no one will ever come here.
CATHERINE MCGRATH: Well, you've talked about a third country? You've talked about a third country, and that's what they're concerned about.
AMANDA VANSTONE: What we've said is, it's our very strong preference that people be offered protection in another place.
CATHERINE MCGRATH: So you're opening the door to them being settled here?
AMANDA VANSTONE: No. I have always said, and others have said that there may be circumstances and we'd look at it. Now, the circumstances might be, for example, medical circumstances.
Obviously, you don't know what medical emergencies are going to come up and what the timing is of flights and whether you would need someone to come here. And another circumstance that we can envisage might be appropriate, would be where someone had most of their family here.
CATHERINE MCGRATH: Barnaby Joyce is viewing that as a positive step.
BARNABY JOYCE: Senator Vanstone says she's looking very carefully at the report that was tabled before the Senate. I think the committee that tabled that report has done a good job and it's great to see the independence of the Senate working as it should.
REPORTER: What sort of changes will be needed for you to support the legislation?
BARNABY JOYCE: First of all, that we determine our policies by the Government of this nation and that we're not influenced or stood over by other countries.
CATHERINE MCGRATH: The Government wants this legislation to pass and it knows this division is not a good look. But while some of the rebels close to negotiations say discussions are progressing well from their perspective, the two camps are still some way apart.
And others like Queensland Liberal Cameron Thompson are growing tired of the divisions.
CAMERON THOMPSON: The senators themselves need to look very carefully at their own motivation and be prepared to work with their colleagues to resolve the question. I think if it's unedifying it's up to those senators that are creating the unedifying spectacle to look to their behaviour and look at correcting it.
CATHERINE MCGRATH: And while all this is going on, there's focus too on the attempts by the visiting Indonesian delegation to meet with the 42 Papuans who have been granted asylum here.
Senator Vanstone says it's not an issue for her.
AMANDA VANSTONE: If you want to come and live in Australia, you're going to have to get used to something. It's a free country and people are entitled to ask to see you. If you don't want to see them, you just say no.
CATHERINE MCGRATH: The head of the delegation Dr Muhammad AS Hikam says it could be considered bad manners to refuse the invitation.
MUHAMMAD AS HIKAM: So usually, in Indonesia, if you got an invitation like that and you cannot explain why, it is like, you know, you reject a good friendship.
ELEANOR HALL: And that's the Head of the Indonesian delegation, Dr Muhammad Hikam ending that report from Catherine McGrath in Canberra.