Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for the question. The Rudd Labor government remains absolutely committed to strong border security measures. That is why in the 2009 budget an additional $654 million was dedicated to a whole-of-government strategy to combat people-smuggling as part of the Rudd government’s $1.3 billion strategy to strengthen national security and border protection. We have established a dedicated Border Protection Committee of Cabinet to drive the whole-of-government strategy to combat people-smuggling and to ensure that the government’s efforts are fully coordinated and resourced at levels which enable us to quickly respond to the factors that contribute to regular people movement. We have also created a single point of accountability for matters relating to the prevention of maritime people-smuggling within the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service. They will create a more effective capability to task and analyse intelligence, coordinate surveillance and on-water response and also engage internationally with source and transit countries to comprehensively address and deter people-smuggling throughout the operating pipeline from source countries to our shores.

The challenge is real and the challenge remains. As I have said previously, we have had boat arrivals in more than 20 of the last 30 years. This is an ongoing problem for Australia, as it is an ongoing problem for the world. Reports indicate that the number of people around the world seeking protection or seeking to move is increasing all the time. We see the international engagement and the regional engagement commenced under the previous government as a vital component of a successful policy to combat people-smuggling, but it is an ongoing challenge and we remain committed to trying to end people-smuggling.