Andrew Southcott (Boothby, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. Would the minister advise the House of the importance of a strong and consistent plan on border protection, and how important is a bipartisan approach to the success of these initiatives?

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Boothby very much. He is a champion of his local community. I love the fact that he was a doctor before he came into this place. He worked in his local community. He had a real job. He was not a union boss or a union hack. He had a real life, and he contributes very well in this place.

Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, on a point of order: I would ask that the member for Dickson withdraw that statement. It is a slur on the hardworking union members of Australia.

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

There is no point of order. The minister has the call.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The reason that having had a life before entering parliament—in small business, working in the trades or whatever it might be—is important is that it delivers you a practical understanding of what families and our country face on a day-to-day basis. Our country faces a significant threat from terrorism, and for some reason those people who have led a work life in the union movement before they come into this place have no comprehension of what it is that this government needs to deal with. That is why they were so incompetent when they were last in government. I see the member for Lilley laughing over there as he writes away on the next chapter. He was in support of Bill but now he is a fierce enemy of Bill; and we will find out about that next week, as I understand it. It gives you an insight into why the Labor Party is so out of touch with the Australian public. It is why the Leader of the Opposition yesterday spoke about the changes to citizenship as a 'dog whistle'; it is why he has no prospect whatsoever of getting up a policy at Labor conference for turning back boats where it is safe to do so.

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, on a point of order: the clock is at 1.17 pm. My point of order is on the basis of bipartisanship.

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

There is no point of order. The member for Corio had better go away and study the standing orders and find out what a point of order is. The minister has the call.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That man is unknown to the Australian public, but he is actually the opposition immigration spokesperson. He is opposed to turnbacks, and he is in support of bringing back failed Labor policies which resulted in 52,000 people coming to our country on 800 boats. During that period of time, worse than that, 1,200 people drowned at sea. So do not lecture us when it comes to bipartisanship on important national security matters. We will not be lectured by the Labor Party because they presided over unprecedented disasters when it came to letting down national security and security of our borders.

The government have put, before this parliament, a number of measures over the last 18 months, and there will be more measures which are aimed fairly and squarely at keeping our borders safe and protecting the Australian public. We will not resile from this threat. For those opposite to try to lecture this government, when they have been completely out of touch in all of these issues for their whole working life, is a little bit rich. The government will do whatever they can to stare down the threat of terrorism, and it is a disgrace that this Leader of the Opposition is clearly not up to the task.

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

A point of order from the member for Mitchell.

Alex Hawke (Mitchell, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, repeatedly today the member for Lalor has been using the words 'it was dog whistling, it was dog whistling'. It is very offensive for her to describe the government's response to national security as dog whistling and I ask her to withdraw.

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

The member for Lalor, if she was using the term, will withdraw. The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. The member for Lalor has the call.

Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I have not used the word 'dog whistler' in this chamber today.

Honourable members interjecting—

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

I realise it is Thursday, and we are not going to have total disruption and disorder in the House. I call the honourable member for McMahon.