Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Deputy President. I can understand how Senator Cormann may be a bit hot under the collar. He has already showed his hand and played the fear factor card, but the Australian public will not fall for it.

As I was saying, the Prime Minister said yesterday, when asked similar questions, that in 2007 five boats with 148 passengers arrived and in 2008 there were four boats, with 48 passengers. Senator Wong said today ‘there is no gap’ in border security. The Australian government is committed to keeping our borders safe, despite the needless and shameless scaremongering tactics by those opposite to suggest otherwise. The Rudd Labor government has enhanced and continues to enhance our border security measures. The government understands that such measures are not only necessary to keep our borders safe but also necessary, and in fact the responsible thing to do, to deter the illegal activity of people smugglers, whose actions put countless lives at risk each and every day. As the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Evans, and Senator Wong have already pointed out, contrary to the scaremongering by those opposite, there has been no relaxation of our border security measures.

If those opposite bothered to do their homework and were to actually take a considered interest in this area, they would know that the Rudd government has retained many of the previous government’s border security measures, which remain firmly in place. In fact, we have also taken a range of measures to increase our capacity to build stronger border security. Amongst other things, we have maintained the patrolling of our northern waters by the Navy, Customs and other agencies, maintained the policy of excision of offshore islands and maintained a system where the mandatory detention of unauthorised arrivals is in place and unauthorised arrivals are processed on Christmas Island. Having said that, I note the government has also stuck to its election commitments in this area and has brought to an end the Pacific solution and temporary protection visas. These were two measures that were allowed to operate under the previous government. They were highly controversial, questionable and regarded internationally as being a stain on this country’s reputation. The abolition of such measures represents a commitment by this government to pursue in this country a tough but fair approach to border protection, an approach that is reasonable and necessary and in no way reflects a relaxation of the government’s stance on border protection.

Interestingly, those opposite have not previously opposed these changes and they have not promised to reintroduce them if re-elected—hardly likely. They seem to have so many policy positions that it is hard to figure out just where they stand on important issues such as border protection. Where do they stand now? If those opposite cannot even decide where they stand on important issues such as this, how can they be trusted to protect our nation’s borders? Indeed, Senator Johnston’s contribution proves that for those opposite it is nothing more than being all about scaremongering. I will quote Senator Johnston’s contribution, which goes to prove that it is all about scaremongering and it is all about playing the fear-factor card. (Time expired)