Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

the difference between starting the boats and stopping the boats, the difference between putting people into detention and taking people out of detention—it is precisely because the President of the Human Rights Commission was incapable of understanding this distinction that this government has lost confidence in her.

It is, in the end, a question of judgement which, I am afraid to say, the President of the Australian Human Rights Commission lamentably failed to demonstrate. But, oh no, members opposite are backing the lack of judgement shown on this very issue, because when it comes to putting children into detention and when it comes to putting people at risk of drowning at sea, that mob opposite are the guilty party! That is what they are—they are the guilty party.

I stand by the Attorney-General, I stand by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and I absolutely stand by the Secretary of the Attorney-General's Department.

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