Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question, and let me answer it using the following words in terms of the announcement that the government made yesterday:

I think they represent a very sensible balance on the present arrangements. They do not in any way undermine the existing policy. What we will have even more so after these changes are a mandatory detention system with a softer edge, but nonetheless a mandatory detention system.

I have to acknowledge those words are not mine; those are the words of former Prime Minister John Howard at a press conference on 17 June 2005 when the former government announced the changes to the Migration Act—

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