Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Last week the minister was asked whether the government had paid criminal people smugglers to transport asylum seekers on leaky boats. The minister said: no. Minister, was that true?

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the shadow minister for her question for we know that this question is motivated by a desire to discredit Operation Sovereign Borders. This is all about preparing the ground for Labor's policy on asylum seekers, which will be to dismantle Operation Sovereign Borders. And we know what is going to happen because we have seen it before—50,000 people arrived by boat, $11 billion in cost blow-outs, 1,200 people that we know of died at sea under their watch.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The question contained no argument. The minister is required to be directly relevant to the question not to give us a stream of consciousness.

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

The minister has the call.

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question requires me to go to matters of intelligence, security and operations. I would like to read a quote:

The robust principle of all prime ministers and foreign ministers, past and present, is that we don't comment on intelligence matters.

Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

Opposition members interjecting—

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

There will be silence on my left.

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The next one:

I won't comment on matters of intelligence and security for the obvious reason: we don't want to share with the world and potential aggressors what we know about what they might be doing, and how they might be doing it.

Former Minister for Foreign Affairs Bob Carr.

Mr Perrett interjecting—

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

The member for Moreton has been warned and will leave under 94(a).

The member for Moreton then left the chamber.

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A question was asked:

Are you aware of any advice from the Australian Federal Police, or any other agency, that the Labor Government's policies on border protection and refugees could lead to a surge in arrivals?

Quote:

Well, I've said before publicly, I don't comment on intelligence matters of this nature.

Former foreign minister Stephen Smith.

Opposition members interjecting—

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

There will be silence on my left!

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

From August 2012, a spokesman for immigration minister Chris Bowen said the minister would not comment on immigration department operational matters. And then, 'I'm not going to comment on operational matters'—former Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus. I can inform the House I will not comment on intelligence, security or operational matters.