Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Home Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

We know this is a very difficult issue. That is why we are working very closely with transit countries and source countries in the region and that is why we have been working very closely, for example, with the Indonesian National Police. I can say that, as far as reducing the flow of those seeking to come to our shores goes, we have had a disruption of almost 5,000 within Indonesia and other countries, preventing them from embarking on perilous journeys. That is because of the good work that was undertaken by the Australian Federal Police in conjunction with the Indonesian National Police. We will continue to do whatever we can to tackle this very complex issue.

Can I say in conclusion that it is entirely phoney for those opposite to pretend that this issue can be resolved with a silver bullet. I know there is a myth that has been perpetuated by the opposition, but the facts are these: the actual decline in numbers that occurred 10 years ago happened because of the greatest repatriation of asylum seekers since World War II, when 4.3 million people returned to Afghanistan in six years and many returned to Iraq as a result of changing circumstances. In the end, this matter will be solved through regional cooperation and global cooperation of transit countries and source countries. That is why I am confident that we will be able to resolve this matter through the efforts of our agencies and the cooperation of those countries within the region.

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