Kevin Hogan (Page, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. Will the minister update the House on why strong borders are a necessary part of our national security framework? And is the minister aware of any alternative approaches?

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

I thank the honourable member for his question. I am pleased to report to the House that it is 1,053 days since we have had a successful people-smuggling venture to this country. And it should be celebrated. I know my colleagues are proud of the fact that we have been able to stop the boats. The fact is that Labor presided over a complete mess. When John Howard left office in 2007 there were four people in detention, including no children. Labor's mess saw 50,000 people arrive on 800 boats, 17 new detention centres open, and thousands and thousands of children and adults put into detention.

What we have seen today, after an action was taken in the Supreme Court in Victoria as a result of the disastrous policies set up by the Labor Party—an action taken against the Commonwealth—is a settlement of $70 million to plaintiffs represented by none other than the ambulance-chasing lawyer firm of Slater and Gordon, who pocketed a neat $20 million.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Now, there is a little bit of objection opposite, because many of those opposite worked for Slater and Gordon, and others of course have received benefits from Slater and Gordon. To this very day, Slater and Gordon is a significant donor to the Labor Party. I think that is worth noting as part of this discussion, because it is reality.

I can tell you, this side of the parliament will not be making the mistakes Labor and the Greens made when they were in government—1,200 people drowned at sea. You would have thought Labor would by now have learnt their lesson. Have they? No. They have not. We know that the same people who presided over the mess that resulted in boats recommencing are the same people who are coming out now opposing the changes that we are proposing in order to tighten up citizenship in this country—none other than the member for Watson, who was the minister for immigration. He presided over a record 83 boats arriving on his watch, carrying 6,600 people—which, most disgracefully, resulted in 1,100 children going into detention. Do you think he has learnt his lesson? I do not think so. As was reported in The Australian in 2013:

New Immigration Minister Tony Burke says that people-smugglers have outsmarted Australian efforts to turn boats back to Indonesia, warning the Coalition plan would only succeed in towing "people around in circles" in the Indian Ocean.

There is only one party that is going around in circles, and that is the Australian Labor Party. Let me make this promise; mark these words: if the Australian Labor Party are elected at the next election, the boats will restart.

Mr Gosling interjecting—

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

The member for Solomon is warned.

Mr Rob Mitchell interjecting—

As is the member for McEwen.