Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. Will the minister update the House on the success of Operation Sovereign Borders? What is the basis for this success? Are there other alternatives?

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

I thank the member for Hume for his question. He was a proven performer before he came to this place, and he is proving himself here. He understands that proven policy is what works. The success of Operation Sovereign Borders to date is because we are implementing proven policy—policies that we knew would work. It is not surprising, therefore, that it has been more than six months without a successful people-smuggling venture to Australia.

The policies that we advocated, which those opposite when they were in government abolished, were based on a proven record under the Howard government. They were not theories; their performance was proven fact. By contrast, what those opposite did in the border protection space—what the Labor Party did when they were in government—was run their own 'festival of dangerous ideas' on a daily basis when it came to border protection. It was an absolute carnival. Thankfully, the people of Australia put an end to that carnival. But, sadly, the carnies still line the frontbench of the opposition, and they continue to hold onto their opposition to the policies that work. They hold onto their opposition and are completely against the policies that worked under the government.

History is repeating itself, because we can say—every member of this side of the House can say—that, once again, we are deciding who comes to this country and the circumstances in which they come. That is the product of Operation Sovereign Borders—the policies that those opposite oppose. They continue their tradition of opposing these policies, and the shadow minister is continuing the fine tradition of the ministers, when they were in government, that went before him. We have already heard from him a litany of errors and mistakes. He does not understand the difference between a visa application and a visa grant, as we saw yesterday in this House, but he also went to the Press Club and blamed the flow of boats coming to Australia under Labor on the iPhone and Steven Jobs!

I know it is hard to get good help on that side for a new shadow minister who does not know his brief. He looks across the frontbench of those opposite, and all he can see is failure. I can say that, when I was shadow minister, I had a lot of tall shoulders to lean on—particularly the member for Berowra, who sits here, and the Minister for Social Services—and I could go to those who had policies that worked. So I say to the shadow minister opposite—sorry; the deputy shadow minister; the real shadow minister is in the other chamber: Senator Hanson-Young—if you are looking for policies that work, look this way.