Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the fact that this week three boats carrying almost 200 people illegally arrived in the space of 24 hours, and that so far in 2013 illegal boat arrivals are running at 1,000 more than this time last year. Prime Minister, why is this government at war with itself rather than at war with the people smugglers, and why are you trying to protect your own job rather than protect our borders?

Mr Perrett interjecting—

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Moreton is warned.

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

To the member who asked the question: No. 1, he came into this parliament and voted for more boats; No. 2, this government will always take the steps necessary to protect our borders, and we do. We, in doing that, sought advice from three experts: the former chief of the Defence Force, who will know more about protecting the national security of this nation, more in his little finger, than the member who asked the question ever will across the whole of his working life; we received advice from the former chief of the Defence Force. We received advice from a refugee expert. We received advice from a highly respected foreign affairs professional, Michael L'Estrange. And we, on this side of the parliament, said, 'Let's enact that advice.'

The member who asked the question, along with his colleagues, voted to see more boats because they thought that was in their political interest. And, having voted to see more boats, they are now in this overwhelming chaos about what to do or say next. So we have the Leader of the Opposition out there saying to the Australian people that if he is ever elected he will stop all of the boats in a number of months—he has given estimates of a number of months. Then the member who asked the question more wisely says, 'Well, you know, well, it might be, well, you know, sometime, sometime, sometime'. They are in chaos on that side of the parliament, because they know that, between the Leader of the Opposition and the shadow minister, they have no coherent policy on refugee and asylum seeker issues, and no coherent policy on protecting our borders.

Instead, what they do is go around using terminology designed to incite fear. Just like for carbon pricing, this is a disreputable tactic which reflects very badly on the Leader of the Opposition. And we know that the tactics of the shadow minister have been so nauseating that even his own backbenchers stood up and said that they cannot stand them.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What does your backbench think of you?

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Mayo was advised earlier. It wasn't him? My apologies. I will give him the benefit of the doubt but if whoever it was—

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It was me. I'd like to know what her backbench thinks of her.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Cook can now leave the chamber under standing order 94(a), instead. I will at least give him credit for owning up to it.

The member for Cook then left the chamber.