Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, my question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to his claim that the cause of the surge in unauthorised arrivals since August 2008 has been the consequence of what he says is a large increase in persons seeking asylum from Sri Lanka and Iraq since 2005. Was the Prime Minister aware of this increase prior to his decision to soften Australia’s border protection laws in August 2008?

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, the interesting thing about the Leader of the Opposition’s question is that in the three areas of policy change—which is kids behind razor wire, which is the Pacific solution, which is the Pacific solution on the part of this government and our repudiation of it—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I say to those opposite: firstly, when we decided to abandon the Pacific solution, consistent with our pre-election commitments, the good old member for Murray stood up there and said, ‘I do,’ when we indicated that that was our future policy. When we undertook that change, that is precisely the response we got on the part of those opposite. Secondly, when we abolished temporary protection visas, we had the same failure on the part of those opposite to take an alternative view in the parliament when they had an opportunity to do so. I assume the member for Kooyong is not going to sit there and suggest that those opposite should reintroduce temporary protection visas. I know his position on this is constant, as are other members of conscience who sit on opposition benches, though they are somewhat smaller in number these days. Thirdly, on the question of children behind razor wire, I do not assume that those opposite are suggesting we move in that direction as well. My challenge to those opposite and to the Leader of the Opposition is: which of those three do you wish to bring back?