Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The border protection committee of the cabinet considers the operational application of standard policy of the government on border protection. Our approach is very clear when it comes to dealing with people smugglers. It is a hardline approach, and that is one which has already seen the incarceration of people smugglers, it has seen the prosecution of people smugglers, it has seen also those which are currently before the courts, and we have had a large number of those indeed. Also, our approach is consistent in terms of being responsible in dealing with genuine asylum seekers, as is our policy in sending back home those who do not qualify as genuine refugees. That is our approach, and that is the policy which has been applied by the border protection committee in its dealings with this matter.

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