Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak in this debate and to support the motion, particularly the amendments moved by Senator Cash on behalf of the coalition. I would urge the Senate to support the amended motion before the chamber. We have had another contribution from the Greens political party, full of half-truths and misstatements. Senator Ludlam, the previous speaker, indicated that boats could not be turned around and then gave a list of cases in which boats were turned around. I refer Senator Ludlam to the evidence given by the current Chief of Navy, Admiral Griggs, who when asked at estimates whether boats could be turned around gave an example of when he was a patrol boat captain and actually did turn boats around. In fairness, I mention he also indicated that there were other times when he was unable to turn the boats around.

Senator Ludlam clearly mentioned in his contribution that when it becomes dangerous in turning boats around is when illegal immigrants—and that is what they are; they come to our country illegally—take the law into their own hands—