Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Home Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. The last time Labor dismantled the coalition's strong border protection policies, over 800 boats arrived and, tragically, 1,200 people died at sea. Now it's been revealed that the Australian Navy has had to divert resources to provide a surge of extra patrols in anticipation of an increase in illegal boat arrivals. Doesn't this prove that Labor's policy to end the deterrent of temporary protection visas provides an incentive to people smugglers to restart their evil trade?

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Macnamara will cease interjecting.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for her question. The government is fully committed to Operation Sovereign Borders. We have made that very clear.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Rubbish! You’ve taken every step to dismantle it.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition will cease interjecting—

Opposition members interjecting—

as will members on my left. Otherwise they will not be in the chamber.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This government will be tough on borders without being weak on humanity. That's the position that we took to the election, and that's the position that we're implementing.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Bowman is warned.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It might seem obscure to those opposite—the idea of a government implementing the policies that they took to an election. But that is precisely what we are doing. When Mr Pezzullo, the Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs, was asked about whether the department advised against the changes to TPVs as announced today, he announced as crisply as he could, in one word, 'No.' Those opposite are familiar with the word 'no'. It's their favourite word. I don't know why they missed it. Mr Pezzullo also said that Operation Sovereign Borders relies upon three crucial pillars that he went through: an offshore disruption pillar, where you operate against the people smugglers and you seek to disrupt ventures before they take to sea; an on-water component that involves interception after detection of arriving vessels and their treatment; and a regional processing element that ultimately sees third-country resettlement. Those are the three pillars. He went on to say that is precisely what the government is implementing.

But I am asked by the member opposite about the potential for boats attempting to getting here. I seem to remember millions of Australians getting a text message on election day, not when we were the government, when they were the government. It is true that perhaps the minister was not the one who authorised it. Perhaps the other Minister for Home Affairs was the one who authorised it, one of the most disgraceful manipulations that we have seen in Australian politics on your watch.

Opposition members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Members on my right. Has the Prime Minister concluded his answer?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Member from Moreton is warned.