Senator Eric Abetz

"This afternoon in the Senate the Greens sided with Labor and voted against a Coalition Motion condemning the Government's Malaysia swap deal," Senator Abetz said today. 

"Astoundingly this is a complete reversal of their previous position."

"The Greens today voted against my motion that: The Senate rejects the Government's attempts to provide inadequate protections for asylum seekers in its proposed legislation to resurrect its Malaysian asylum seeker deal."

 "In doing so, the Greens have now abandoned all principles on protecting asylum seekers," Senator Abetz said. 

"Today we have seen the Greens' real agenda with them shamelessly siding with their Labor Alliance partners at any cost." 

"It's a well known fact that asylum seekers in Malaysia can face harsh treatment from the Malaysian authorities," Senator Abetz said. 

"They are generally not allowed to work, their children are banned from attending Government schools and illegal immigrants in Malaysia are frequently punished by caning." 

"It beggars belief that, of all people, the Australian Greens would support sending asylum seekers to Malaysia where they may be subjected to such treatment." 

"I have no doubt that long standing Greens supporters will be seeking an urgent explanation from Senator Brown as to why his Party has abandoned proper protection for people seeking asylum," Senator Abetz said.