George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service is responsible for managing the security and integrity of Australia's borders. It has responsibility for protecting Australians through the interception of illicit drugs, weapons, unauthorised boats and postal items, and also targets high-risk travellers. Unfortunately the service is being stretched due to the government's mismanagement of our borders.

Since this government changed the immigration laws relating to asylum seekers there has been an influx of unauthorised boat arrivals, putting strain on Customs and leaving Australia a soft target for organised criminal syndicates. In the last few weeks, we have witnessed a government that has completely lost control of our borders. We have witnessed a large outbreak of asylum seekers from the Christmas Island detention centre, a violent confrontation at the Villawood detention centre and a violent confrontation at the Christmas Island detention centre, with detainees setting fire to main buildings and throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails while rioting, setting fire to furniture and buildings. The problems certainly were not limited to Christmas Island, with protests, break-outs and disturbances occurring throughout the mainland detention network. Under Labor, break-outs, riots and complete chaos reign. The government has allowed people smugglers to dictate Australia's immigration policy.

Since August 2008, we have seen the arrival of 230 boats and 11,533 unauthorised people. When the Howard government left office there were four people in immigration detention in Australia. Last night there were more than 6,000. Since Julia Gillard knifed the former Prime Minister a year ago tomorrow—