Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Hansard source

As I said, the matter is before the court and the government is not going to expand on the issues or the responses we have already made to the court as it considers these matters. But I can assure this House that those men and women who serve as part of our Customs and Border Protection Service, who serve as part of the Australian Navy under Border Protection Command, conduct themselves with the utmost professionalism, with the utmost compassion, and that is what they are doing today, that is what they will do tomorrow and that is what they were doing yesterday. They are ensuring that any persons who are in their care are well looked after, because that is the nature of the people that we have put our trust in on our borders. I know they, like those on this side of the House, want to see an end to the despicable trade that flourished under the previous government.

Opposition members interjecting—

In July of last year, 48 vessels—

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