Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Senator Cash. Can the minister update the Senate on the number of illegal maritime arrivals who have entered Australia since the commencement of Operation Sovereign Borders, and how this compares to the number of those who have voluntarily departed.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator O'Sullivan for his question. I am pleased to advise the Senate that under Operation Sovereign Borders we are now approaching—we are within days—of six months since there was a successful people-smuggling venture to Australia.

The coalition promised the people of Australia that if we were elected to govern we would stop the boats, and the success of Operation Sovereign Borders to date shows the Australian people that we are delivering on that promise to them. For the period 20 December 2012 to 17 June 2013 inclusive, a total of 12,632 IMAs arrived in Australia, not including crew. The number of SIEVs during that same period was 188. The number of crew that arrived during that same period was 395.

For the period 20 December 2013 to 17 June 2014 inclusive, there have been no successful people-smuggling ventures to Australia. The number of SIEVs that have arrived during that same period is zero, and the number of crew that have arrived during that same period is zero. Again, we said to the people of Australia that if they elected us in September 2013 we would restore integrity to Australia's borders, and that is exactly what we have done.

In relation to the second part of the senator's question, I advise as follows. A total of $1,127 people have voluntarily departed Australia since the commencement of Operation Sovereign Borders on 18 September last year. In that same period— (Time expired)

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate what has made Operation Sovereign Borders so successful in stopping the boats and preventing needless deaths at sea?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is called resolve, it is called commitment, it is called having a spine—something that those on the other side continually lack when it comes to protecting Australia's borders. You need only see what happened in caucus today, which is that they want to reopen the debate in relation to offshore processing. There were dragged kicking and screaming to the table last time they had to sit next to us and support offshore processing. We know that they continue to be divided on this matter. The only thing that those on the other side will turn back, if they are ever elected to government again, is the strong border protection policies of the Howard and Abbott governments. The Australian people should be very, very afraid of Labor and their stance on border protection. We need only look at what the former minister for immigration, Mr O'Connor, said today— (Time expired)

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister apprise senators of the results that can be achieved when a cohesive, determined and resolute approach is adopted in relation to illegal maritime arrivals?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Despite the protestations of those opposite, we know they are not committed to strong border protection measures. The former minister, Mr O'Connor, who used to have this portfolio, said this morning: 'There is no reason that the issue of offshore processing cannot be revisited in the future'. That should send a very clear sign to all Australians that those opposite do not care about the 1,000 people who were confirmed dead at sea under their policies. They could not care less about the 50,000 people who arrived on our shores at a cost of in excess of $11.6 billion. There is only one government that is committed to stopping the boats, and it is the Abbott government.