Nickolas Varvaris (Barton, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister update the House on the government's steadfast commitment to keeping Australia's borders secure?

Mr Husic interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Member for Chifley, if you interject again you will be leaving the House.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Nobody should ever doubt the resolve of this government to keep our borders secure, to prevent the people-smuggling racket, to break their business model and keep lives safe, to prevent drownings at sea and to protect vulnerable people from being exploited by ruthless criminal gangs. Twice in our history, coalition governments have acted decisively to ensure that the pernicious, criminal trade of people-smuggling cannot succeed. Our commitment today is simply this: the people smugglers will not prevail over our sovereignty. Our borders are secure. The line has to be drawn somewhere, and it is drawn at our border.

I note today that a very significant judgement was handed down by the High Court of Australia. By a six to one majority, the High Court rejected a challenge to Australia's offshore detention arrangements, and it upheld the existing framework as legally and constitutionally valid. Now, we will consider the judgement and its implications carefully. But what I can say is this: our system of deterrence remains robust and has recently been reinforced to deal with immediate and enduring threats to our maritime security and sovereignty.

We know what happens when Labor experiments with our border protection arrangements. I remember in this House sitting where the Leader of the Opposition is today—

Ms Burke interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Chisholm!

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

debating with Prime Minister Rudd, and I urged him not to tamper with the border protection arrangements that John Howard's government had put in place. And Prime Minister Rudd said—

Ms Butler interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Griffith will cease interjecting.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

it would have no effect on arrivals. He said it was only the push factors that mattered, that Australia's domestic policy was irrelevant. Well, we had an experiment, didn't we? Mr Rudd prevailed: 50,000 arrivals, hundreds drowned at sea. There is no doubt: if we wish to keep our borders secure, if we wish to stop people drowning at sea, if we want to keep our borders safe, if we want to maintain support for our whole immigration policy, if we want the capacity to bring in refugees from Syria—12,000 additional refugees from persecuted minorities—then we need a strong border protection regime, and this government will stand steadfast in protecting the border.

Ms Burke interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Chisholm will cease interjecting.