Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

What undermines national security is misleading statements about our national security: misleading statements about border security, misleading statements about Operation Sovereign Borders. That's exactly what the coalition continues to do. It's exactly what I believe they will do today in this debate. It's exactly what they've been asked not to do by the very people that are keeping Australians safe.

We know that the Labor government remains committed to Operation Sovereign Borders. Despite the comments from the commander of Joint Agency Task Force Operation Sovereign Borders, those opposite continue to mislead the Senate and to mislead the public about the current operations of our borders. Admiral Brett Sonter 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.

Importantly, he said:

Any alternate narrative 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.

That is a clear warning to those opposite that this is a debate that needs to be dealt with in facts, that needs to be dealt with in sensitivity and that needs to be dealt with at the national security level, which I thought was bipartisan.

If we want to talk about lawlessness, the other things that undermine the safety of Australians would be to ignore High Court decisions or to think that the parliament or politicians are above the law. That seems to be what those opposite are implying in their comments around the release of detainees. We know and Australians know that these decisions were of the High Court. The High Court made these decisions and, as a result, our government has put very strong measures in place to keep the Australian public safe.

We are also working with our law enforcement agencies across the country, and we have faith in the work that they do. If those opposite do not believe that law enforcement agencies are capable of doing their jobs then they should say that, but we back our law enforcement agencies. We know that they have very strong measures in place. It is a real shame to see those opposite undermine the work of those law enforcement agencies.

When it comes to possible alternatives or solutions, I'd love to see those opposite suggest what they might do in this situation. Actually, this morning on Sky News, they were given the chance. Senator Hume said:

… if the legislative bar is too high, the coalition will come to the party and help them lower that bar.

The reporter asked: 'How would you lower that bar? What would you do?' Senator Hume said, 'Well, that's up to the government.' This was followed up by these questions, which were pretty fair in the circumstances: 'Have you got an idea? Have you got any amendment that you'd like to see?' Of course, Senator Hume had nothing to add to the conversation. So until those opposite can come in here and provide some constructive discussion about really important national security issues, we won't be taking lectures from those opposite. We'll listen to the professionals. We'll listen to the people who are actually operationally in charge of protecting our borders, and we'll take their advice and do what they say and make sure that we don't make it harder for those law enforcement agencies.

This is all about the contrast between our government and those opposite, because while we are focused on keeping Australians safe, the coalition is focused on stoking fear and division. While we are delivering tax cuts for low- and middle-income earners, the coalition won't say if they'll repeal those tax cuts—if they get a chance—and make Australians pay more. While we are strengthening Medicare, those opposite voted against cheaper medicines. While our government is delivering cleaner, cheaper energy, the LNP are out there spruiking expensive nuclear power in places like the Great Barrier Reef. Finally, while the Labor government is delivering super on paid parental leave, those opposite have referred to paid parental leave as a 'welfare scheme'. They are not so focused on delivering for women or their economic security. They're busy knocking off senior Liberal women from the top of their Senate tickets. So we won't be taking lectures on this side of the chamber—not about national security, not about lawlessness and certainly not about delivering for working Australians.