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

I thank Senator Back for his question. I can inform the Senate that, despite the opposition from those opposite every single step of the way and despite their constant howls that it could never ever be done, since this government implemented Operation Sovereign Borders in December 2013, only one illegal entry arrival has arrived in Australia. When judging the success of Operation Sovereign Borders the statistics are irrefutable. Since December 2013 Operation Sovereign Borders has safely returned 633 potential illegal arrivals aboard 20 ventures to their countries of departure. I again remind those listening that this is despite those opposite consistently saying day after day that it could never be done.

This government has also ensured that, since the commencement of Operation Sovereign Borders, there have been no lives lost at sea. Compare this fact with the policies of the former government, where we saw at least 1,200 people drown at sea as a consequence of the policies introduced by those opposite. In addition to that, who can forget that, at the height of the policy failure of the former government, a boat was arriving in Australia every 15 hours? You woke up in the morning and a boat had arrived; 15 hours later you were looking at going to bed and another boat had arrived; and you woke up in the morning and—guess what?—another boat had arrived. Despite this absolute travesty, those opposite are still hopelessly divided on border protection policy. (Time expired)