Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to take note of the answers given by Senator Lundy to questions asked by Senator Cash. I have to note that, as I was looking at Senator Lundy, as I do many of those opposite as they speak about border protection—I am a great observer of people—I think I have got the answer. It has taken me a long time but I think it is one of those presentations by people who are often confronted by their own inadequacies—and that is denial. Denial is quite a well-known and well-written about presentation, and certainly the senator opposite, in terms of her answers to the questions, was presenting that.

I suppose it is something that really can be applied throughout the Labor Party and particularly to those ministers who have been responsible for this appalling failure in border protection. When they have been basically staring their failures in the face, I have often wondered why they have not moved to change their place. It is probably a little bit like Alcoholics Anonymous in this regard when people are continually in denial that they in fact have a problem with grog.

The Labor Party—and this time it concerns Senator Lundy—should simply stand and declare: 'I now know that our border control policies are a complete failure.' Unless you can declare that you have got it so badly wrong, you will not move out of denial. When you move out of denial, you can heal thyself.

You can start looking at alternative lifestyles and, in this case, alternative policies. But every time I come into this place people stand up and say, 'No, it's all okay.' We have just heard from the good senator, and she says, 'There are ebbs and flows.' That is not bad! The ebb was when we had no boats under the previous government, and now we have their flows. That is a term of denial. I have a few drinks! The flows are 512 vessels. That—unremarkably, probably—is twice the size of the Spanish Armada. Those vessels have suddenly arrived when they are saying, 'Oh, there's bit of a flow, a couple of boats—not really too much to worry about.' Sadly, I do not really think you are going to change anything unless you get over it.

Perhaps they should just consider a bit of a list. This is their policy approach and how they go. Since the Malaysian announcement—we can remember that—there have been 279 boats, and 18,000 people arrived. I am not sure how that went for you, but I do not really think you could give that a bit of a tick as working. We then had the signing of the Malaysian deal on 25 July. Since then 286 boats have arrived, carrying 18,389 people.