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

I thank Senator Back for his question and for what I know is a keen interest in this important policy area. When it comes to border protection—but, in particular, to doing it properly—there are three things that you need to do as a government. The first thing you need to do is to know and acknowledge the policies that actually work. The second thing you need to do is to have the backbone—the spine and the resolve—to implement those policies despite the barrage of opposition that you receive from others. The third thing that you need to do is to have the competence to implement those policies, and that is exactly what we on this side of the chamber have done when it comes to border protection.

Let us look at what we have achieved with the coalition's policies. In the last 312 days we have had but one single, solitary venture that came to our shores. Contrast that to a similar period under the former government, where we had in excess of 20,000 people arrive illegally by boat—one single, solitary venture, compared to in excess of 20,000 people arriving here illegally by boat. What do we see, however, from the other side? In the last 48 hours we saw but a mere flirtation with those policies that actually work. In a 'Marles moment', to quote Senator Smith, the shadow minister, in relation to the government's turn-back policy, admitted openly, on record, 'It has had an impact.' I personally think that is an understatement, but at least the shadow minister admitted that the government's turn-back policies had had an impact. He then indicated that Labor may consider taking it to the next election. And we all know what happened then. (Time expired)