Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I don't think Senator Paterson heard what the Commander Joint Agency Task Force, Operation Sovereign Borders, Rear Admiral Brett Sonter actually said, or maybe he heard it and wants to wilfully ignore it. 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—

such as that being peddled by you, Senator Paterson—

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.