Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

The reality is that, if you look at the advice from Defence and Border Protection personnel, and if you look at the public statements of the Indonesian government's representatives, it is very clear that the slogans of 'stopping the boats' and 'turning the boats back' are not workable. I would refer you to Indonesia's Ambassador to Australia who, when he was asked on 31 May, said as follows:

I think it's not possible for the Coalition to say that it has to go back to Indonesia because Indonesia is not the origin country of these people …

No such collaboration will happen between Indonesia and Australia (to) bring back the people to Indonesia.

On top of that, we have the advice of the Navy and Border Protection as to the risks. So if those opposite believe that they can simply fix this issue with a slogan, really they are misleading the Australian people.