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

I thank Senator Cash for her first supplementary question, but she did not rise to the invitation to actually come forward with an arrangement that will in fact stop the boats and deal with the immigration matter. What we have always said is that, without a genuine deterrent such as the Malaysia arrangement, the boats will still keep coming. You can chalk down the negativity that you are now reflecting to Mr Abbott, because Mr Abbott can only say, 'No, no, no, no, no.' You wonder whether or not he would change his name to Nanette! Boats will continue to come to Australia unless the coalition is willing to come to an agreement with the government to deter asylum seekers from making those dangerous journeys. These latest boat arrivals, of course, are just further evidence of the consequences of the coalition's negativity. The government has been prepared to negotiate— (Time expired)