Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the deputy leader for her question. We take the same advice from the same security agencies, even the same security personnel, as the previous government did. We have confidence in our security agencies. If those opposite don't have confidence in those security agencies, they should say so. We don't discuss the details of the methods our agencies use to determine whether someone is a national security risk, which is something that those people who've been on a national security committee know is the case.

In 2017, then minister, now Leader of the Opposition, issued an additional 12,000 visas to Syrian and Iraqi refugees. He indeed issued a media release that said:

Australia welcomed these people who could now make a fresh start and build a safe future far from the horrors of the conflict. I encourage them to enjoy all that Australia has to offer …

If those people want to suggest what the Deputy Leader of the Opposition occurred, that that occurred when Kabul was being evacuated, then she must think that all of us have a very short memory. The fact is that that is what he said. When we were in opposition, we backed the government. We didn't look for a way to divide the country and we didn't look for a way to undermine national security, because we know it is simply too important to play games.

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