House debates Questions without Notice
Asylum Seekers
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training
2:48 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. How many boats carrying unauthorised arrivals have arrived in the last week? Given that people smugglers are getting more done than this government, when will the Prime Minister stop counting votes and start stopping the boats?
Member for Bass interjecting—
Ms Anna Burke Speaker
The member for Bass will leave the chamber under standing order 94(a).
The member for Bass then left the chamber.
Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
2:49 pm
As the member who asked the question well knows, the government is implementing the recommendations of the Houston review, to deal with refugee and asylum seeker issues, as the opposition continues with its relentless negativity, opposing the recommendations of those very eminent Australians. And whenever they are asked how they will vote on these recommendations they effectively say that they will vote for more boats to come to our country. So if the member is genuinely concerned about asylum seeker boats then he could use his voice in this parliament—
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training
Speaker, I rise on a point of order with respect to relevance. Rather than a filibuster, could the Prime Minister just tell us how many boats have arrived in the last week.
Ms Anna Burke Speaker
The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. The Prime Minister has the call.
Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
As I was saying, the member who asked the question could use his voice and his vote in this parliament to send a clear signal to people smugglers. Instead, he has gone for the naked political advantage of wanting to see more boats.