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 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. I refer the minister to the Australian customs vessel currently carrying 153 asylum seekers and Australian personnel. Can the minister please update the House on the vessel's location, the status of all persons on board, including Australian personnel, and the government's immediate plans in dealing with this situation.

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

I thank the member for Corio for his question. As the member will know, these matters are currently before the High Court and the government has made some statements to the High Court about these matters.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

I will wait for silence, Madam Speaker.

Opposition members interjecting—

Madam Speaker, this is a very serious matter—

Mr Fitzgibbon interjecting—

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

We will have silence, including from the member for Hunter. The minister has the call.

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

This venture which we have identified to the High Court is one that demonstrates, I think, the nature in which this government seeks to deal with these issues in terms of people smuggling to Australia. I have said very clearly to this House that this government has had significant success in dealing with these matters. The reason we have had that success is that we have been adamant that, on every occasion that may present, we will apply all of the policies we have to ensure that no venture successfully reaches Australia. Those are the policies that we are applying, whether it is in this instance or in any other instance. I know that those opposite like to denigrate the fact that there has been no successful people-smuggling venture to Australia in seven months, but it means that there has been no loss of life for people at sea as a result of those ventures since last September.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order: it is a very straight question, with no preamble and an important one to be relevant to.

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

I call the honourable the minister, who will return to the question.

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

As I said, the matter is before the court and the government is not going to expand on the issues or the responses we have already made to the court as it considers these matters. But I can assure this House that those men and women who serve as part of our Customs and Border Protection Service, who serve as part of the Australian Navy under Border Protection Command, conduct themselves with the utmost professionalism, with the utmost compassion, and that is what they are doing today, that is what they will do tomorrow and that is what they were doing yesterday. They are ensuring that any persons who are in their care are well looked after, because that is the nature of the people that we have put our trust in on our borders. I know they, like those on this side of the House, want to see an end to the despicable trade that flourished under the previous government.

Opposition members interjecting—

In July of last year, 48 vessels—

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order: if the minister is now referring to July of last year, he is clearly defying your ruling.

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

This is not a point of order.

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

I can understand why the Manager of Opposition Business would not want me to refer to July of last year, because when he was minister in July of last year 48 boats turned up, as you know. Over 4½ thousand people turned up on your watch in July of last year, and over 16 people died last July that we know of. This government will never return to the chaos and the madness and the tragedy that that former minister presided over, that that former minister there presided over and that that former minister over there presided over—never, ever.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order: the defying of your ruling has reached a point of just being ridiculous.

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

I think the minister has concluded his answer.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He did not begin his answer, Madam Speaker.

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

Thank you. It is for me to decide on your point of order, and I asked him to return to the question at the time.