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

In answer to the Leader of the Opposition's question: first, on the question of asylum seeker and refugee policy, the Leader of the Opposition is well aware that in line with his normal reckless negativity he came into this parliament and exercised his vote for more boats. That is what he did. He could have exercised his vote to back in the expert recommendations of the former Chief of the Defence Force, Angus Houston; a refugee expert, Paris Aristotle; and a foreign affairs expert, Michael L'Estrange. He could have listened to that expert opinion. Instead, he came into this parliament and put his hand up for more boats.

I note that, on this topic of asylum seeker and refugee policy, today, of all days, is a very unusual time for the Leader of the Opposition to raise it, because he and his shadow minister are completely at odds on refugee and asylum seeker policy. The Leader of the Opposition has gone up and down the country, over a number of years now, saying he will stop the boats. He has never said how, but he will stop the boats! And he has said on radio today that he would be making a difference from the first few weeks. And he has said in the past that he would stop the boats in the first few months if he were ever elected; whereas his shadow minister last night said, 'I don't put timeframes on it and I'm not about to. I'm not making such forecasts.' Those were the words of the shadow minister—

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