Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Hansard source

If as a government you are committed, unlike those opposite and in particular unlike the Australian Greens, to stopping the deaths at sea—and under the former government we know that in excess of 1,200 people died at sea attempting to make the perilous journey to Australia—we must stand by our strong policies. If we are committed to ensuring that the Australian government, and not the people smugglers, sets the law in relation to our borders then we must stand by our strong policies. If we are committed to ensuring a level of fairness for those asylum seekers or refugees who have been languishing in camps overseas for not five, not 10, not 15 but in excess of 20 years, then we must keep our resolve in relation to our policies, and that is what those on this side of the chamber will do. (Time expired)