Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Cash for her ongoing interest in the Malaysian arrangement, because those opposite show no interest in working through this solution to ensure that we can have legislation in place. At the start, I do not accept any of the underlying import that the question put forward. This is a cohesive government that is working on bringing forward a Malaysian arrangement that results in stopping the boats coming to Australia.

What those opposite, who continue to talk the talk but actually will not come to the table and deal with the legislation and deal with how we resolve this issue, want to do is continue to play games with this. They want to use it as a political football, a political stunt, to make their point. However, this government wants to resolve this issue. Why won't you come to the table to resolve the issue rather than continue to crabwalk on immigration? That is what you are doing.

The UNHCR has given its support to our arrangement, which involves both signatory and non-signatory countries. But Mr Abbott says: 'We are not saying that they have got to have temporary protection visas; we are not saying that they have got to be prepared to turn around boats. We would do those things if we were in government.' You can do those things, should you get to government, but what we want you to do is come to the table and come forward with a proposal to deal with the Malaysian arrangement so we can deal with this legislation. (Time expired)