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

Mr President, can I thank the honourable senator for her character assessment. It is something that she is well known for in handing out character assessments to everybody but herself. In relation to the heinous suggestion that I and/or the government are seeking to punish people, can I say that we absolutely repudiate that. It was as a result of Australian Labor-Green policies that we saw 1,200 people drown at sea. That is disgusting. That is horrific. That is what we on this side were able to stop. We are pleased and thankful that we were able to achieve that.