Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

The simple fact is that, on every single occasion that the Australian Greens had the opportunity, they kept the government in power that put those children into detention—and you know it. And what is more, very, very, very sadly, that is why we as a government were so committed to breaking the racket of people smuggling, that criminal activity of people smuggling, because not only did it see children ending up in detention; it also regrettably saw children ending up at the bottom of the sea. That is why we as a government are absolutely perplexed that the Labor Party and the Greens, if ever given power again, would combine to ensure that the temporary protection visa and other border protection policies that we have implemented would be repealed. When confronted with the fact of deaths at sea— (Time expired)