David Bushby (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator Cash. Can the minister outline the challenges Australia faces in maintaining a strong but fair border protection regime?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Bushby for his question. I am pleased to advise the Senate that earlier today our legislation to strengthen the Migration Act passed the House of Representatives. It is critical that we send a clear and unambiguous message to the people smugglers that there is no backdoor entry into Australia. We, on this side of the chamber, always have been and always will be committed to stamping out the vile people-smuggling trade. We are committed to ensuring that people do not risk their lives getting on leaky boats to make that perilous journey to Australia.

If there is one thing that we can all be very proud of, it is that Australia is built on the foundation of mutual respect. Australians understand that it is their government that determines who comes to this country and the circumstances in which they come, not the people smugglers. This responsibility should never be abrogated to anybody, let alone the criminal people-smuggling syndicate. It is a fact that those on the other side seem to forget: these criminal people smugglers run a multimillion dollar business. They are not sending people to Australia out of the goodness of their hearts. They are sending people to Australia at a very, very high cost. And that is not just a cost in terms of the cost which they charge for the boat ticket to Australia but it is also, as we know, a very high cost in terms of those people who die at sea. We can never forget that under the former government, because of their failure to take responsibility in relation to border security, 1,200 people lost their lives at sea. We will never allow that to happen again.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Bushby, your supplementary question.

David Bushby (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do have a supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate of the dangers that come from complacency in respect of border protection policies?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can. As we know, it is in excess of 50,000 boat arrivals; a cost blowout to the Australian taxpayer of an excess of $11 billion; in excess of 8,000 children put behind bars—this government got them out; and, of course, again, the very, very sad reflection that in excess of 1,200 people died at sea. But we do face challenges.

What did Senator Watt say during the election campaign? At the last Labor national conference he said very clearly, 'I do not think that pursuing turnbacks and offshore processing is in line with our long-term Labor values.' Well, I say, through you Mr President, to those on the other side: if that is not in line with long-term Labor values, the only conclusion that can be got to is that you do support people smugglers making the decision to bring people to Australia. You do support people risking their lives to get on leaky boats to make the perilous journey here. You do support policies that put thousands of children behind bars. We will never do that. (Time expired)

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Bushby, your final supplementary question.

David Bushby (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister advise the Senate of the consequences of Labor's opposition to the laws to strengthen our borders?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes I can. In terms of the opposition, Senator Watt is not the only Labor senator who is completely opposed to the former Howard government's and this government's strong border security policy. Again, whilst on the campaign trail, Senator Sue Lines made it clear that we need 'a rethink on offshore processing'—offshore processing which I thought the Labor Party was on a unity ticket with us. But we now know this week that the Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten, gave a very clear message to Australians: there is a fundamental divide when it comes to border protection in this country.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He's been rolled!

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You are right, Senator Cormann: Mr Shorten has been rolled. He has been rolled by in excess of 50 Labor candidates—some of whom now sit across from us in this chamber—who throughout the election proclaimed, 'If we ever get to this side of the chamber it is game on again for the people smugglers.' (Time expired)