Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has had the opportunity to be fully briefed on the minister for immigration's statement in the House yesterday in which the minister expressed the view that the behaviour of children and grandchildren of immigrants meant Malcolm Fraser made a mistake by allowing their parents and grandparents to migrate to Australia in the late 1970s. Is this the Prime Minister's position: yes or no?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am not going to accept the Leader of the Opposition's characterisation of remarks made by the minister for immigration. The fact of the matter is that the greatest mistake made in immigration, the greatest failure—which we do not need to be a historian to recall and which we do not need to go back to the 1970s to reflect upon—was by those opposite when they abandoned the integrity of our borders, when they threw away Australia's sovereignty and they allowed 50,000 unauthorised arrivals and over 1,200 deaths at sea.

Ms Catherine King interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Ballarat is warned.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can well understand how members opposite seek to tear down the minister for immigration. They cannot stand the fact that he has succeeded where they have failed. They cannot stand the fact that he took 2,000 children out of detention centres. They cannot stand the galling fact that, unlike the member for Watson, they did not betray those children.

Mr Pyne interjecting—

Mr Morrison interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. The Treasurer and the Leader of the House will cease interjecting. Has the Prime Minister concluded his answer?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes. That is fine.