Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Hansard source

As I reminded the House yesterday, the coalition announced a policy before the last election that we would be implementing Operation Sovereign Borders. This is a very different way of doing things—a very, very different way. And I have to say, one of the key differences is that we now measure arrivals in the hundreds, not the thousands—as we did under the previous government. But there are many differences that are taking place, and one of those differences is the way that we handle information. We do it on the guidance of the Joint Agency Task Force of Operation Sovereign Borders, and it is done for this purpose: so as to not use information to advantage people smugglers to sell their product.

Those opposite might not understand this, because under their government they were not running such an operation; they were running a water taxi service. They were happy to let people smugglers know where their vessels were and how successful their operations were and to provide them proofs of voyage that could be used to provide proof of payment and to accept payment and get the cashflow of the business running. They were very happy to do that. But we are not running that sort of an operation. That is why the communications protocols about what happens within Operation Sovereign Borders, which are tactical on-water operations and things of that nature, are not things that are canvassed publicly. To do so would be to assist people smugglers to get people on boats that sink. If that is what the opposition is encouraging the government to do—to go back on our election promises—

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