Andrew Wilkie (Denison, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, the government claims asylum seeker children in detention in Australia are being freed—but in fact more than half of these children are being sent to the Republic of Nauru, which is just 21 square kilometres, has a population less than 10,000 people, and a 90 per cent unemployment rate. Prime Minister, why does the government think that some kids are less precious than others?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I absolutely share the view of the member for Denison—that we want to get children out of detention. We absolutely want to get children out of detention; and the only way to get children out of detention is to stop the boats, and that is exactly what this government has done. The only way to keep children alive is to stop the boats, and that is exactly what this government has done.

At its peak, when the people-smuggling trade was in full swing—under members opposite—when the red carpet was being rolled out every day for the people smugglers and their customers—there were almost 2,000 children in detention. Because this government has stopped the boats, there are about 100 illegal maritime arrival children in immigration detention in Australia, and about the same number in Nauru—a 90 per cent reduction in the numbers of children in detention. I do not like seeing any child in detention. No-one does. But if we want to see no children in immigration detention, we need no illegal boat arrivals. That is exactly what this government has delivered. And we know that members opposite want to give the people smugglers their business back. That is what they want to do. Because we had no less a person than the Deputy Leader of the Opposition come out and say yesterday that Labor was opposed to turn-backs. At the heart of any serious policy to stop the boats is a readiness to turn boats around when it is safe to do so.

Andrew Wilkie (Denison, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order on relevance: the question is to do with currently sending children back to Nauru.

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

It is not an invitation to repeat the question. The member will resume his seat. The Prime Minister has the call.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are taking children out of detention because the boats have stopped. And the member for Denison needs to know that if the Labor Party were ever again to form a government, not only would the carbon tax be back, not only would the mining tax be back, but the people smugglers would be back, and the children would be back in detention and, the children would be dying at sea—because, as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition made clear on the weekend, the policies needed to stop the boats would instantly be scrapped by members opposite. Shame on them!