George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

As I said, Senator Wong, I am familiar with the remarks attributed to the Indonesian foreign minister. What I can tell you, Senator Wong, is that unlike when you were a member of the cabinet, unlike during the period of the Labor government, the Indonesian people smugglers have gone broke. They have gone broke because they have no business. And the reason they have no business is that they have no customers, because the Abbott government stopped the boats. Senator Wong, I know you are reluctant to acknowledge that fact. I know how reluctant you are to face the shame of having made a decision that resulted directly in the deaths of 1,100 people, most of them innocent women and children. I know how that sits with your humanitarianism, Senator Wong, but you will never escape the shame of that decision. You will never escape your record and you cannot escape the fact that the Abbott government stopped the boats. (Time expired)