Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Attorney-General's statement today about whether cash payments have been made to people smugglers. The Attorney-General said 'well, I do not believe that has occurred'—so the question is academic.

Prime Minister, if the foreign minister can deny that payments were made, if the immigration minister can deny payments were made and if the Attorney-General can deny payments were made, why can't you deny that payments were made?

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

The very consistent position of this government has been not to comment on operational details of what is necessary and what has been done to stop the boats.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

There will be silence on my left.

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

There is a fundamental difference between this government and members opposite. One obvious difference is that this government has stopped the boats whereas members opposite started the boats—that is one obvious difference. But another less obvious difference—but very important in this context—is that this government does not feel the need to broadcast our intentions and our tactics to our enemies.

Ms Macklin interjecting—

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

The member for Jagajaga.

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

This is a government which does not feel the need to big-note itself in public if the only beneficiaries are our enemies, if the only beneficiaries are the people who will do us harm.

Mr Albanese interjecting—

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

The member for Grayndler.

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

The only thing that really counts is that this government has stopped the boats and we have done so in a way which is consistent with our position as a decent and humane country because the most decent and humane thing you can do is stop the boats, which is exactly what we have done.

Members opposite are very interested in what they claim may have been payments to people smugglers. A half a billion dollars those members opposite put in the pockets of people smugglers. With 50,000 illegal arrivals under members opposite at $10,000 a throw, a half a billion dollars is the figure. That is the extent to which members opposite have enriched the people smugglers of Indonesia and elsewhere. Thanks to members opposite—

Mr Danby interjecting—

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

The member for Melbourne Ports.

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

the people smugglers of our region were better off to the tune of over a half a billion dollars thanks to members opposite.

We have taken the money out of the pockets of the people smugglers by denying their business model, by stopping their evil trade and by saving the lives that were otherwise being put at risk under the policies of members opposite. I am very happy to answer any number of questions on this subject, because it allows me yet another opportunity to assure the people of Australia that their borders—our borders—are safe under this government. If members opposite were ever to get back into government, the first thing which would happen is that the people smugglers would be back.