George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson-Young, you interject that it has been illegal for the last three years. I have already told you that the legal advice to the government and to the previous Labor government was that the scheme was within the law, so there is not an issue about its legality. But I understand that it is being challenged in some proceedings in the High Court. There is this difference. The policies of this government—over your strenuous objection—stopped the boats, stopped the drownings and put the people smugglers out of business. That is the relevant difference.