Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Ludwig. I refer the minister to the revelation made by the former Prime Minister and now former foreign minister, Mr Rudd:

… decisions … were taken, in my absence often, and then announced and implemented, often without my knowledge, in the case of various decisions like the Malaysia solution for example, and then off they went only to discover they didn't work.

Will the government now admit that the failure of the cabinet to work together and function properly has resulted in the chaos that is now Australia's border protection policies?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Cash for her ongoing interest in the Malaysian arrangement, because those opposite show no interest in working through this solution to ensure that we can have legislation in place. At the start, I do not accept any of the underlying import that the question put forward. This is a cohesive government that is working on bringing forward a Malaysian arrangement that results in stopping the boats coming to Australia.

What those opposite, who continue to talk the talk but actually will not come to the table and deal with the legislation and deal with how we resolve this issue, want to do is continue to play games with this. They want to use it as a political football, a political stunt, to make their point. However, this government wants to resolve this issue. Why won't you come to the table to resolve the issue rather than continue to crabwalk on immigration? That is what you are doing.

The UNHCR has given its support to our arrangement, which involves both signatory and non-signatory countries. But Mr Abbott says: 'We are not saying that they have got to have temporary protection visas; we are not saying that they have got to be prepared to turn around boats. We would do those things if we were in government.' You can do those things, should you get to government, but what we want you to do is come to the table and come forward with a proposal to deal with the Malaysian arrangement so we can deal with this legislation. (Time expired)

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Given that almost 16,000 people have now arrived on 286 illegal boats since the government's decision to abolish the proven border protection policies of the former Howard government—

Government Senators:

Government senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On my right! Senator Cash is entitled to be heard in silence.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order on both sides!

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

including more than 9,200 people on 145 boats since Prime Minister Gillard politically executed Mr Rudd for the first time, will the government now admit that it was wrong to abolish the Howard government's proven border protection measures?

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! When there is silence we will proceed.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Cash for her first supplementary question, but she did not rise to the invitation to actually come forward with an arrangement that will in fact stop the boats and deal with the immigration matter. What we have always said is that, without a genuine deterrent such as the Malaysia arrangement, the boats will still keep coming. You can chalk down the negativity that you are now reflecting to Mr Abbott, because Mr Abbott can only say, 'No, no, no, no, no.' You wonder whether or not he would change his name to Nanette! Boats will continue to come to Australia unless the coalition is willing to come to an agreement with the government to deter asylum seekers from making those dangerous journeys. These latest boat arrivals, of course, are just further evidence of the consequences of the coalition's negativity. The government has been prepared to negotiate— (Time expired)

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, supplementary question No. 2: given that the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship voted in Labor's leadership ballot for the candidate who believed that his own Malaysian people swap deal did not work, when will the government—

Government Senators:

Government senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Wait a minute, Senator Cash. Again on my right, order! I remind you that Senator Cash is entitled to be heard in silence. Senator Cash, I am listening to the question.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When will the government end the pretence of clinging to this policy failure and restore the coalition's proven policies?

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Just remain seated, Senator Ludwig. Order! I remind senators on both sides that shouting across the chamber is completely disorderly.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Cash for her question. I think that Senator Cash wants to say yes and wants to agree with our legislation but feels constrained by Mr Abbott. The coalition just does not get it. All expert advice shows that Nauru will not in itself break the people-smuggling trade. The opposition know that. The Greens know that. We already know that.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ludwig, resume your seat. On both sides, if you wish to debate it, it is not long before question time will end and you can do that then. Senator Ludwig, continue.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is clearly time now for Mr Abbott to pick up the phone, talk to the Prime Minister and put in place a solution that will deter the boats and make sure that people do not risk their lives on unsafe boats. More importantly, you can hang up on Nauru and you can hang up on your tired policies that do not work, but in fact you would be far better placed to say no to some of the baggage of your past, say no to those policies— (Time expired)