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

I thank Senator Reynolds for the question. Yes, I can. Unlike other parties represented in this place, and, in particular—given what we have just seen—the Australia Greens, those of us on this side of the chamber understand the importance of having strong border protection policies. We understand that a government that cannot control its border, quite frankly, is not fit to be in government. What did we see under those opposite for six long years?

Senator Hanson-Young interjecting—

You can hear Senator Hanson-Young there in the background, because she was a key protagonist in relation to these policies. For six long years the Australian people witnessed the devastating effects of what occurs when you lose control of border protection policy. By way of example, what did we see? There was $11.6 billion in budget blowouts, because when you lose control of the borders it costs the Australian taxpayer money. Fifty thousand people arrived here illegally by boat. In excess of 800 boats arrived. Of course, as Senator Brandis has said, we had the unfortunate tragedy of at least 1,200 people dying at sea, and not once, when 1,200 people died at sea, did we have Senator Hanson-Young or the Australian Greens come in here and show any form of responsibility for the deaths that occurred. We had the undermining of our humanitarian program. We had to say 'no' to people who had spent not five years, not 10 years, not 15 years but 20 years languishing in camps because of the policies that were implemented by those opposite. Let us not get started on the number of children that were held in detention because of policies implemented by those opposite. That is the reason we have tough border protection policies. (Time expired)