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

(—) (): It has been the sorry experience of not only myself but also many senators in this place to be confronted with a situation put to us by Senator Hanson-Young which when submitted to closer examination does not necessarily match-up with what she has said. Therefore I am not willing to accept what she has said on this occasion at face value. It is one of these unfortunate circumstances for the senator yet again. Irrespective of how well motivated she actually might be, the fact that she engages in such behaviour on a serial basis means that she has lost her own credibility in relation to matters of this nature. We as a government will not be engaged on these individual matters. Suffice it to say that the stop the boats policy has saved drownings at sea and has allowed us to take in an orderly refugee intake. (Time expired)