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

The logic of the assertion by Senator Williams is that the Howard government was weak on border security because in 1999 it had 3,700 people arrive, in 2000 it had 2,900 people arrive and in 2001 it had 5,516 people arrive. The logic of the assertion is that if you have people arrive then you are weak on border security. So not only was the Howard government weak on border security but Great Britain is weak on border security, Canada is weak on border security, the United States is weak on border security, France is weak on border security and Italy is weak on border security.

It is a nonsense. It is an argument put forward by the opposition for what they see as political advantage. But they know that the reality of the irregular movement of people around the world is an international problem that is driven by source countries and the internal strife in those countries. That is the problem we have to work with our neighbours to combat. We are doing so. As with all of our neighbours, we are very committed to that. (Time expired).