In question time, Burke said the government had enacted regulations to reapply ankle bracelets and curfews to people released by the high court and had introduced legislation “required to have all the full powers we want to be able to have” in relation to removals.
“This government’s first priority is community safety … the first priority is not ankle bracelets or detention for these people, our first priority is: we don’t want them in Australia at all.”
According to its explanatory memorandum, the bill authorises the government to pay a third country to accept unlawful non-citizens from Australia, such as the 224 people released as a result of the high court’s November 2023 NZYQ decision that indefinite immigration detention is unlawful.