Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

Just to be very clear: I completely reject the whole premise of your question because there is nobody in detention on Manus Island. In fact, you mentioned the six years, and who started those six years? Who was it who actually put people in detention there in the first place? That was those opposite. Labor and the Greens. We have worked tirelessly for six years because, remember, under all of you opposite, 50,000 people came by boat and 1,200 people that we know of died a horrific death. So that was not us. We have worked tirelessly internationally and in cooperation with the PNG government to fix the shameful mess that you left. We are very proud of our record and what we have done in that—

Senator Cormann interjecting—

Minister Cormann reminds me that, in fact, the Prime Minister today, when talking about Manus, was noting how peaceful and beautiful Manus Island is and, in fact, would welcome tourists and others to come and visit Manus and to see for themselves. (Time expired)