Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister Representing the Minister for Home Affairs, Senator Cash. Can the minister please advise the Senate on the importance of stability and certainty in our migration policies and how the Morrison government is keeping Australia's borders secure?

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

I thank Senator O'Sullivan for what is a very important question because, Mr President, as you well know, on this side of the chamber we understand the fundamental importance of protecting Australia's borders. We understand that the first priority of the Commonwealth government must be to ensure the security of the nation and, as such, the security of the people. It is a fact that, if you cannot control your borders, you cannot govern the country.

Since 2013, since we were elected to office, we have progressively cleaned up Labor's border protection disaster. We have progressively put in place policies that have had the following effect: we have stopped the boats, we have removed the children from detention, we have stopped the deaths at sea and we have closed the detention centres.

What we also understand on this side of the chamber is that ensuring the integrity of Australia's borders is not easy. It involves tough decisions. It involves decisions that are necessary. Those decisions are necessary to ensure that we prevent those deaths at sea—1,200 deaths at sea that we know of under the previous government. Those tough decisions are necessary to ensure that we don't have to put children into detention.

What we have seen over the last two weeks in particular is that—led by the shadow minister for home affairs, Senator Keneally, and backed up by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Albanese—Labor have clearly marked their territory. They will backtrack when it comes to protecting Australia's borders.

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

Senator O'Sullivan, a supplementary question?

Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the Minister advise the Senate of any threats to Australia's border protection initiatives?

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

Again, thank you to Senator O'Sullivan for the supplementary question. As we have consistently made it clear in these matters, if you blink, if you hesitate for less than a second, you send a very, very clear message to the people smugglers. You basically tell the people smugglers that Australia is reopened for business. It is not enough to just put in place the tough policies, to stop the boats, to stop the deaths at sea, to get the children out of detention, to actually close the detention centres; it is critical—

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

Senator Keneally, on a point of order?

Kristina Keneally (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance. The minister is talking about threats. Why isn't she talking about the 81,000 airport arrivals that have come in under her government—

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

Senator Cormann, on a point of order?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think that was a frivolous, non-point of order, and I think you should rule it out of order.

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

Thank you for the—

Senator Keneally interjecting—

Senator Keneally knows better than that. It was not a point of order on direct relevance at all. This is not the time to make statements.

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

Mr President, the threat has just articulated itself—and that is, of course, Senator Keneally if ever she were elected to office as the Minister for Home Affairs. Senator Keneally does not understand the importance of securing Australia's borders. (Time expired)

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

Senator O'Sullivan, a final supplementary question?

Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What are the consequences of abandoning bipartisanship on this important issue?

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

One only has to cast one's mind back to the former Labor government, which, in conjunction with the Australian Greens, dismantled the border protection policies of the former Howard government. What did that result in? It resulted in complete, total and utter chaos on our borders.

Senator Keneally interjecting—

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, interjections are disorderly. Constant interjections are even more disorderly. I would ask you to call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order.

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

For a Monday, the chamber has been particularly disorderly. Senator Keneally, I would ask you to bite your tongue for a while.

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

Mr President, in relation to Senator Keneally's interjections, Senator Keneally is just proving time and time again that, in her capacity as the relevant shadow minister, she does not understand the fundamental priority of a Commonwealth government, which is to ensure the security of the nation and, in turn, the security of the Australian people. You cannot blink when it comes to border protection. Senator Keneally, time and time again, shows that she won't just blink; she will actually actively dismantle the policies that this government has put in place.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.