Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak to the urgency motion before us on the government's asylum seeker policy. I note Senator Singh's comments that the majority of Australians would not be comfortable with the government's approach to dealing with asylum seekers coming to our country by boat. I would challenge that, because the Australian people were very, very clear about the government's planned policy on how to treat asylum seekers, particularly those who attempt to come to our nation by sea. They were very clear, and the majority of Australians actually backed the government's policy. Australians voted to repeal the carbon tax, get the budget back on track, repeal the mining tax and stop the boats. The international system that we are under is an order that requires—

Senator Hanson-Young interjecting—

fairness so that those who are in camps who have been waiting an inordinately long period of time, Senator Hanson-Young—and there are children in those camps; there are children who are born in those camps—

Senator Hanson-Young interjecting—

there are children who die in those camps—