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

In relation to the question, as the member may well know, we worked hard with Malaysia to negotiate a set of protections for asylum seekers who were transferred to Malaysia or who will be transferred to Malaysia under this arrangements. We negotiated protections in relation to their human rights and we certainly negotiated protections in relation to caning and other human rights questions. But can I also say to the member that I understand that, for political reasons, the opposition will continue to dispute the government's arrangement with Malaysia. I understand that. I understand that the opposition will continue to do that, even though they have now had access to the same advice available to government. That advice has told them—and this cannot be denied; this truth cannot be twisted by the opposition—that the Malaysia arrangement has the best deterrence effect. That advice has told them that Malaysia is the best option. There is no twisting and turning that gets away from that. That advice is in front of the opposition.

They may choose to walk away from that advice. They may choose, in the face of the best possible expert advice, to say: 'We choose the costly solution that won't work. We reject the solution that the experts say will work.' They may choose to send to people smugglers the message that says, 'Go to Nauru and you'll get a ticket to Australia.' They may choose to criticise the government as it sends a message that says, 'If you try to come to Australia, you'll go to Malaysia.' They may choose to play that wrecking politics. That is what we expect from this opposition. We expect them to act as a party of protest.

But the question before this parliament is not whether they will continue to play reckless, negative politics—because we know they will. The question before this parliament is whether the words of the Leader of the Opposition can be relied on. He has said, and I quote his words—

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