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

The question of course can only be properly answered in this way: the government will be bringing legislation to this parliament to give executive government the power it needs to have offshore processing. We will be relying on the words of the Leader of the Opposition when he said:

I think that our country should have the best border protection policy that the government of the day thinks that it needs and I’m prepared to work constructively to give the Government, to restore to the Government, the option of third country offshore processing which it says the High Court and the Solicitor-General have denied to it.

The real question before the member is whether she wants to join with the Leader of the Opposition in playing reckless politics or whether they want to act in the national interest and amend the legislation. The question is whether or not they are in any way serious about stopping the boats.

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