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

Madam Speaker, I am reminding the House about the record of the member for McMahon when he was the Minister for Immigration—398 vessels and 24,447 arrivals. What we will see from the member for McMahon if he were ever to become the Treasurer again is the same backbone that he showed in immigration he would apply to the budget. That is what we are seeing in his response to this budget.

I can update the House that it is true that $2½ billion is the saving in this budget from our successful border protection policies. At the last election, those opposite were forecasting 33,000 arrivals over the budget and forward estimates based on their current policies at the election—enough to fill Simonds Stadium, which is the home stadium of the member for Corio. That would have cost this budget $7 billion. Our border protection policies are working for Australia and the Treasurer's budget is working for Australia—and that is how it will remain.

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