Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Petrie for his question. The coalition has been totally consistent when it comes to the very important issue of border protection. We were consistent during the Howard years and we have been thoroughly consistent during the period of government under Tony Abbott.

What does it result in?—a couple of very important outcomes because of this consistency. Firstly, we have been able to stop the deaths at sea—1,200 people died at sea under Labor's watch. The boats have stopped and the deaths at sea have stopped. In the last 12 months of the Labor government, 302 boats arrived. That meant that over Labor's period in government, 50,000 people had arrived on 800 boats. The boats under this government have stopped.

The Prime Minister spoke before about the number of children in detention, and those numbers have declined also. I want to report to the House that in 2007 there were zero children in detention.

Mr Perrett interjecting —

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