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

I have learned from that mistake. What I have learned is that there is never a time that the national interest worries the opposition. The only thing that ever worries them is their political interest and the depths to which they will go to pursue their political interests know no bounds. They are prepared to see more boats; they want to see more boats despite the risks to lives. Their pledge to the Australian people is to risk the lives of ADF personnel in pursuit of a policy that they know to be flawed. My mistake was ever believing that they were better than that.

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