Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm his office was told before 1 pm on Saturday that the information provided to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection in Tuesday's press conference about the location of Reza Berati's death was inaccurate?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can confirm that my office would have been listening to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection on Tuesday afternoon when he said that it was unclear exactly where many of the things that had taken place on that fateful evening had in fact taken place. I will gladly check the record, and, if there is anything to tell the parliament, I will come back and tell the parliament. But, again, exactly what is the evil here? Exactly what is the grievous error? Exactly what is the monument of maladministration that members opposite are trying to uncover? As soon as the minister was aware of a problem on the Monday night he went public, on the Tuesday morning. By the time he got to Canberra on the Tuesday afternoon he was aware that there was some possibility that more information might come to light. He went public with that. On the Saturday, he conclusively discovered—

Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Payments) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When?

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Jagajaga will desist.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Maybe it was midday. Maybe it was one o'clock. Maybe it was two o'clock. It was as soon as he was clear. What does it really matter if he delayed 15 minutes, half an hour or an hour? What does it really matter?

Opposition members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Those on my left will be quiet.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The truth is that, as soon as he reasonably could be, after clarifying the position, he was completely up-front with the Australian public and the Australian people.

This minister has a very difficult job, restoring border security with the legacy that this government inherited—a massively difficult job. I want to say that I deeply admire and respect the strength and the integrity that he has brought to this job. While I can understand that members opposite would be a little embarrassed at the way the boats are stopping now, surely they at least ought to be men and women enough to give credit where it is due. This minister is stopping the boats. That is what counts.