Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. What I can say to the member is that if he studies the details of the budget papers and particularly the announcement made by the Minister for Defence last week, he will find that there has been some movement of capital for issues associated with the procurement of that capital and then of course there have been arrangements made on the civilian side, the public service side, of Defence for new efficiencies, which will occasion a reduction in jobs—that is true—but they are on the public service side. So the member asking the question should not be seeking to mislead Australians and to pretend that the positions that the Minister for Defence has been referring to are positions that are in some way associated with patrolling our borders. The truth is and the truth remains that this government has more assets patrolling our borders than ever before. The member who asked the question has some expertise in relation to judging these issues, and he should use that expertise—

Mr Pyne interjecting—

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