Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I think the senator wants to ask a separate question. On questions that go to the issues of deterrence and working with international neighbours on prevention of departure, there are a range of measures there, and I am happy to discuss them with the senator. But I remind him that the problem of unauthorised arrivals has been with us for 30 years. We have seen successive waves of boat people arrive and we have had to intercept them in waters, usually successfully. Under the Howard government we had a number of arrivals direct to the Australian mainland.