Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Hansard source

I confirm with the Senate that under this government's border protection policies there has not been a successful people-smuggling venture to Australia in now over 20 weeks. If you compare that same period of time last year under the former government, 8,942 people arrived on 135 boats.

How does that translate on budget day into savings for the Australian taxpayer? As Minister Morrison announced last Friday at the Lowy Institute for International Policy, tonight, because of the Abbott government's strong border protection policies, we will have saved the Australian taxpayer $2.5 billion over the forward estimates, compared to in excess of an $11½ billion budget blow-out under the former government. That is a successful policy. (Time expired)