Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator O'Sullivan for his question. I am pleased to advise the Senate that under Operation Sovereign Borders we are now approaching—we are within days—of six months since there was a successful people-smuggling venture to Australia.

The coalition promised the people of Australia that if we were elected to govern we would stop the boats, and the success of Operation Sovereign Borders to date shows the Australian people that we are delivering on that promise to them. For the period 20 December 2012 to 17 June 2013 inclusive, a total of 12,632 IMAs arrived in Australia, not including crew. The number of SIEVs during that same period was 188. The number of crew that arrived during that same period was 395.

For the period 20 December 2013 to 17 June 2014 inclusive, there have been no successful people-smuggling ventures to Australia. The number of SIEVs that have arrived during that same period is zero, and the number of crew that have arrived during that same period is zero. Again, we said to the people of Australia that if they elected us in September 2013 we would restore integrity to Australia's borders, and that is exactly what we have done.

In relation to the second part of the senator's question, I advise as follows. A total of $1,127 people have voluntarily departed Australia since the commencement of Operation Sovereign Borders on 18 September last year. In that same period— (Time expired)