Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

What I can advise the Senate is that some 48 boats have come to Australia this year, which is down on 134 boats from the previous year. In fact, the Malaysian proposition that we put forward had a very big impact in terms of—

Senator Abetz interjecting—

The arrangements we entered into with the Malaysian government, Senator, had a very big impact in deterring the people smugglers and organised criminal syndicates in terms of the number of boats that arrived. So we do know that that was an approach that was working. What we of course have seen as a result of the political manoeuvrings in this parliament is that that option has not been able to be pursued. The government maintains the view that that is an effective way of dealing with this issue. (Time expired)