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

This morning, the government introduced a bill to amend the Migration Act, to prevent illegal maritime arrivals taken to a regional processing centre from obtaining an Australian visa of any kind. We hoped that the Australian Labor Party would see the wisdom of supporting this measure, because it sends yet another strong signal to the people smugglers that they do not have a product to sell—that they cannot assure their clientele of a migration outcome to Australia. But unfortunately, I believe, this morning, the Australian Labor Party has decided to break bipartisanship on this issue, to send confused signals to the people smugglers. But the people smugglers know one thing for certain, and that is: for as long as the coalition is in power, they will not have a product to sell; Australia's borders will remain secure. Unfortunately, we cannot say that about the Australian Labor Party.