Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The question is right: why are we in this position having this debate? Clearly, the reason we're here is because there's an attempt by the opposition to undermine our borders. There's a political opportunity, here—not an opportunity that's in the interests of the Australian public, not an opportunity that's in the interests of the Australian community, but a political opportunity to turn around and misrepresent what's actually going on.

These are the same people that turned around, on that fateful election day, the decision by the previous government, led by the member for Cook, that put at risk operational protocols to protect Operation Sovereign Borders—and they're at it again. On that particular occasion, under the direction of the former prime minister, the former home affairs minister ordered a senior military officer to issue a public statement compromising a live, military-led operation. The opposition are here asking questions not because they're concerned about the boats, or because they're concerned about protecting Operation Sovereign Borders, or because they're concerned with national security, but for no reason other than the fact that they want to create fear and division. These comments and their comments will be exploited by people smugglers. That is a disgrace. What they're creating is an environment which is untrue.

One of the great lies—one of the many lies—that the opposition have put forward is that Peter Dutton said we're cutting funding to the ABF—the Australian Border Force. Again, there is disinformation from the Leader of the Opposition, who should know better. There has been, in fact, an increase of $470 million under this government, including more than $200 million this year, as the ABF Commissioner Michael Outram said:

Border force funding is currently the highest it's been since its establishment in 2015 and in the last year the ABF has received additional funding totalling hundreds of millions of dollars, to support maritime and land-based operations.

So who should we believe? Peter Dutton, the opposition leader, and the opposition, or the ABF Commissioner? They don't like the facts, because when you go through the fact you hear more. Admiral Brett Sonter, Commander of the Joint Agency Task Force Operation Sovereign Borders, made it abundantly clear. He said:

"The mission of Operation Sovereign Borders remains the same today as it was when it was established in 2013: protect Australia's borders, combat people smuggling in our region, and importantly, prevent people from risking their lives at sea.

"Any alternate narrative—

Now, get this; this is really important—

will be exploited by criminal people smugglers to deceive potential irregular immigrants and convince them to risk their lives and travel to Australia by boat."

We had some discussion about this earlier in question time. Some people were saying that this is a fictitious argument put forward, so they're saying the admiral in charge of Operation Sovereign Borders is getting it wrong. They're saying the commissioner in charge of the Australian Border Force is getting it wrong. They have said on both occasions what has been said by the opposition leader and by those opposite: that it will result in additional people-smugglers and people being put at risk in the sea lanes of this region. The opposition leader is becoming a marketing tool for people smugglers because he is misrepresenting the facts. The ABF and the ADF have said very clearly how this is moving forward: it is the same Operation Sovereign Borders; it is very well funded; it's an expert operation run by one of the most senior naval officers in the country. We respect and are grateful for the work the ABF do to protect our borders and we back Operation Sovereign Borders. That's the reality.

When it comes to the visa question, that part of the motion shows, again, the absurdity of their argument. Unauthorised maritime arrivals—that is, people seeking to enter Australia on a boat with a passport or visa—are subject to offshore processing. That is what happened in the past and what continues to happen today. But they constantly put our borders at risk with the unfounded, inaccurate descriptions that they've been putting forward in these debates of the last week. (Time expired)