Peter Lindsay (Herbert, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a defence question for the Acting Prime Minister. Acting Prime Minister, what assurances can the government give to the Australian people that Australia’s borders will be properly protected from illegal immigrants, illegal fishers and drug runners when the Navy closes down for two months over Christmas?

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

I thank the member for his question, but can I reassure the member—and anybody else who may be under such a misapprehension—that our defence forces work 365 days a year, seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Anybody who has contact with people who work for any arm of our Defence Force, whether it be Army, Navy or Air Force, knows that they are there working hard, working continuously and dedicating their lives to it.

On the question of border security, this government obviously believes in strong protection of Australia’s borders from whatever threats we may face. Whether that is illegal fishing, whether that is running of drugs or guns or other forms of contraband, or whether that is in relation to illegal movement of people across our borders, of course we take an approach that says, ‘The borders of Australia are to be protected,’ and we will always take all reasonable steps to ensure that that occurs.