The Hon.

Tony Abbott MHR

Leader of the Opposition

9 July 2012

The Hon Julia Gillard MP Prime Minister Parliament House CANBERRA ACT 2600

Dear Prime Minister Further to your invitation for the Coalition to nominate three members to a reference group I respond as follows. In the absence of any terms of reference as requested, it is my understanding from your initial letter dated 28 June 2012 that the purpose of the group is to work with the expert panel led by ACM Angus Houston AC AFC (Rtd). The Coalition does not need to be part of a committee to meet with Mr Houston and considers that participation in the reference group is therefore unnecessary. We will meet independently with the Expert Panel and have made arrangements directly with the Panel to this end. I note that the composition of your reference group includes the Greens, Labor and Mr Windsor. Given this is the same alliance, together with Mr Oakeshott, that enabled the passage of the Carbon Tax, any agreement by this group on these issues would therefore have the support necessary to secure passage of any legislation through both House of Representatives and the Senate. I stress again that the Coalition remains committed to our policies and opposes any changes to the Migration Act that would strip away the binding legal human rights protections for offshore processing in section 198A, without establishing a binding legal replacement for these measures, as proposed by the Coalition. Yours sincerely

TONY ABBOTT
Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Tel (02) 6277 4022 Fax (02) 6277 8562 www.tonyabbott.com.au