Amanda Stoker (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs, Senator Cash. Minister, what measures have the Liberal-National government put in place to secure our nation's borders?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Stoker for the question. Following on from what the Leader of the Government in the Senate articulated earlier today, we've put in place the policies that have enabled the coalition government to stop the boats. That's right—policies have been put in place to stop the boats. But, in particular, Mr President, those policies consist of, as you know, turn-backs, which is something that those on the other side said would never work. Well, guess what? We didn't blink, we put them in place and the policy has been proven to be effective. We also enforced offshore processing. Offshore processing is a key tenet of putting in place policies that secure Australia's borders.

But those on the other side are not interested in border protection. They are interested in outsourcing Australia's border protection and national security. They are interested in handing it back over to the people smugglers. We know what the legacy is, as Senator Cormann said, but let's go through it again so that the Australian public understands the very, very clear difference between those of us on the coalition side, who will protect our borders every step of the way, and those on the other side, who were ready this week to say to the people smugglers, 'Come on down.' Fifty thousand people arrived on over 800 boats, 1,200 people died at sea and over 8,000 children were detained in detention whilst those on the other side, Labor, were in government. They were forced to open 17 detention centres to deal with the influx of boat arrivals. We believe in strong policy measures and we will stand by them. (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Stoker, a supplementary question.

Amanda Stoker (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cash, why is it important for the government to have full control over our nation's border security so as to ensure a more secure future for the Australian people?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As the Prime Minister, a former minister for immigration, and Minister Dutton, the minister for border protection, have consistently made clear, if you blink, if you even hesitate for less than a second, you send a very clear message to the people smugglers, who are just waiting—they have queues of boats, as we know—to come down to Australia. That is why, when it comes to protecting our borders, you need to put in place the tough policies, which we have done, to stop the boats. But, after that, you need to show resolve, especially when you are faced with the type of behaviour we see from those opposite in the Labor Party and, of course, the Australian Greens, Labor's partner in crime. The legacy left to this government by those on the other side is shameful, and we never want to see a return to the chaos on the borders. (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Stoker, a final supplementary question.

Amanda Stoker (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, are you aware of any risks to our nation's future border security?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There's a bloc down there; it's called the Australian Greens. We don't need to name to them individually; it's just an absolute bloc. But there are also those on the other side, some of whom are fundamentally committed to reopening our borders. They have no issues at all with handing over border security to the people smugglers. At a previous election, Mr Rudd said to the Australian people he'd be tough on border security. Was he tough on border security? No, because the legacy lives on today—50,000 boat arrivals, 800 boats, 1,200 deaths at sea, children in detention and 17 detention centres being opened. And then, of course, there's the cost of all this to the Australian taxpayer, because it's their money that is actually being wasted by those on the other side—in excess of $11 billion. We do not want to return to that. (Time expired)