Brett Whiteley (Braddon, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the very effective Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. Minister, how important are both strong policies and a consistent resolve in achieving control of our borders? What are the benefits to the budget of this government's approach?

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

I thank the member for Braddon for his question and his ongoing interest in this topic, an interest that I have not seen shown by those opposite. I notice that the member for McMahon is very quiet today. It may have to do with the remembrances we had yesterday about the member for McMahon's performance when he was immigration minister, when he allowed in almost 25,000 arrivals and almost 400 boats on his watch.

As we went over the member for McMahon's record as immigration minister, I saw that immigration twitch coming back into his shoulder as he recounted all of the experiences that he had when he was immigration minister. We know that the only person who was going to thank the member for McMahon for his performance as immigration minister was Captain Emad. Have you seen him lately? Have you heard from him? Has he sent his thanks?

In relation to the question, I can say that we have reached another milestone from these strong policies and the strong resolve. It is 168 days, which is 24 weeks—a new milestone—since we have had our last successful people-smuggling venture. We have also passed a milestone: $2½ billion in savings for this budget. We have passed a milestone today. It is 100 days today since the shadow minister has asked me a question in this House when it comes to border protection—168 days without a successful venture and 100 days without a question. With our successful policies, we are stopping the boats and we are stopping the questions from the opposition.

But I am not surprised that the opposition cannot bring themselves to this dispatch box to ask us a question because, when you ask questions, you have to know what your own policy is. You have got to have the faintest idea about where you stand on issues. Because question time is question time.

Mr Perrett interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Moreton will desist!

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

What we get every day from the opposition is 'whingeing time'. They come in here and they whinge, but they will not bring policy alternatives into this place. Whether it is on the budget, on the borders, you will not hear an alternative policy from those on the opposite side.

Seventy-one per cent of Australians support the policies we are putting in place to stop the boats. The other 29 per cent sit on that side of the House, opposed to the policies that are stopping the boats. I have the same advice for the shadow minister and the Leader of the Opposition that I gave some time before: 'When you're looking for the border policies you should follow, don't look to the left, down to the Greens; don't look to the right for all the failed immigration ministers that litter your frontbench—look this way.' This is where effective border protection policy lives, with the coalition, and it has done so for more than a decade, you failures!

Mr Perrett interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Moreton will desist!

Mr Perrett interjecting—

The member for Moreton is warned!