Ted O'Brien (Fairfax, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question goes to the Prime Minister. Over recent weeks, shots have been fired at an Australian Border Force vessel from an illegal boat. We've seen the biggest seizure of cocaine in Australia's history, with police believing the drugs were imported by sea. And we've had 12 more illegal arrivals in Far North Queensland, who managed to have a frothy at the pub before authorities detained them. Why is the Albanese government so weak in protecting Australia's borders?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) | Link to this | Hansard source

I am proud of our authorities when they intercept drugs. Those opposite see a drug interception as a problem for our authorities. Every time drugs are intercepted by Border Force or the Australian police, we have pride in the people who wear that uniform. We stand with them. When Border Force intercept, you get a sense—

Milton Dick (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Barker is warned.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) | Link to this | Hansard source

of the level of aggression from those who want to harm our borders and those who want to harm our country. I am proud of Australian Border Force and Operation Sovereign Borders—that, even when people come with those sorts of weapons, we make sure that their operations are not successful.

There is something that I will pay credit to the previous government for, because it's something that has continued. It has been more than a decade since there has been a successful people smuggling operation, and we give that message because it's true. That's the message that people smugglers don't want to hear. But this character, this leader of the opposition, the guy who wants to bring all three right-wing parties together—

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The manager, on a point of order.

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction) | Link to this | Hansard source

I know that the Minister for Home Affairs has exercised—

Milton Dick (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

What's the point of order?

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction) | Link to this | Hansard source

It goes to correct titles.

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

Resume your seat. I want to agree with the manager. He has made this point, and I 100 per cent agree with him. I want everyone addressed by their correct titles, not any other terms. I'm going to call the minister.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) | Link to this | Hansard source

As I said at 2.30 pm on 2 July, he's the Leader of the Opposition, and I referred to him as the Leader of the Opposition. But let me say, the Leader of the Opposition—

Honourable members interjecting—

I noticed they took issue with the title but not issue with the accusation—no issue with the accusation at all. That is because he is giving the messages that people smugglers want.

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, the minister for climate change and the minister for infrastructure! The manager, on a further point of order.

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction) | Link to this | Hansard source

It goes to relevance this time. There was nothing about the opposition in this question. It was about arrivals drinking frothies before they were arrested.

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

That term wasn't in the question, but—

Honourable members interjecting—

Order! The minister has got just over one minute remaining. He has the call.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) | Link to this | Hansard source

So you go through all three examples they gave. One was drug interception—successful; good. Second was Border Force intercepting and following on, even in the face of gunfire. Instead of standing with those Australian officials, you want to mock them. And, thirdly, 'What happened in Weipa?' That is clearly a question they wrote before they realised that every one of those individuals had been removed from Australia.

If you want to show that you care about the borders, stop providing information for people smugglers. Here is a hint on border protection: if the key question for the Leader of the Opposition is, 'Do you get your senators to vote with the Greens?' warning! That is a warning, in terms of where that leads. I understand the stance on border protection from those opposite. I will never understand, though, wanting people smugglers to have access to surveillance information.