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

Senator McKim, you talk about the even greater human cost. Let me tell you what the humane outcome of the government's policies has been. When we came into office there were 1,992 children in detention on the Australian mainland. Today, as a result of decisions by Mr Morrison and Mr Dutton, there are now none—not one. Every child that had been in detention when my side of politics came into office three years ago has been released. That, I think, is a good humanitarian outcome.

During the period of the Labor government, whose policies you supported, we know that at least 1,200 men, women and children died at sea. There may have been many more. That is just the 1,200 that we know about. As a result of our policies in the last three years, not one man, woman or child has died at sea.