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

It is a very timely question from Senator Back, given that next month is the Labor Party's national conference. The Labor Party faces a dilemma. They need to decide at their national conference: do they support the proven policies of the coalition government that have stopped the boats? Or will they do as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has done and refused to commit to maintaining the strong policies that have put the people smugglers out of business? Ms Plibersek was repeatedly asked—eight times in fact—whether Labor would commit to keeping the coalition government's strong border protection policies, which we know have stopped the boats, have stopped the deaths at sea, have returned money to the budget and have seen children released from detention. Time and time again, Ms Plibersek refused to commit. Only time will tell, and we on this side—(Time expired)