Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Given the unanimous recommendations on the Migration Amendment (Designated Unauthorised Arrivals) Bill 2006 from his own backbench, why won’t the Prime Minister listen to Australian parliamentarians as much as he has listened to Indonesian parliamentarians?

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Watson for his question. The purpose of this legislation is to further enhance the extremely successful border protection arrangements that this country has in place. If it had not been for the border protection policies of this government, unauthorised arrivals would by now have reached horrendous proportions. They were running into their thousands in 2001—

Arch Bevis (Brisbane, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Aviation and Transport Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Bevis interjecting

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and despite the unwillingness of the Labor Party, then led, as it is now, by the member for Brand, to support strong border protection policies, this government had the courage to do so.

Arch Bevis (Brisbane, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Aviation and Transport Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Bevis interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Brisbane is warned!

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

These policies have nothing to do with listening to Indonesian politicians. While I am on my feet, can I say something to Indonesian politicians, both those here and those who may be listening or reading in Indonesia: I want them to understand from me, on behalf of the government, how extremely disappointed, even distressed, millions of Australians will be at the release of Abu Bakar Bashir. Many Australians will see that particular outcome, although a product of the Indonesian justice system, as an extremely disappointing result.

Let me remind the member for Watson that it was this government, the Liberal-National Party government, that stopped the flow of unauthorised arrivals. It was the Australian Labor Party that would have kept our borders open. It was the Australian Labor Party that opposed the Pacific solution. It was the Australian Labor Party that opposed all the strong measures that were needed, and this bill is of a piece with those strong measures.