Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

There are significant risks posed by other approaches. The best example we've got of that is, of course, the period of government between 2007 and 2013, when those opposite were supposedly in control. When you're in control, that apparently means that you do not invest in one new naval vessel from an Australian shipyard, you use the Defence budget as an ATM and you take $18 billion out of the Defence portfolio during that time in office. Our contrast, of course, is to increase government spending to two per cent of GDP ahead of our target date, ensuring that we can effectively contribute to both regional and global security challenges in the years ahead. Those opposite also lost control of our borders. We know well what it meant when they dismantled the successful border protection policies of the Howard government, because, during their time in office, more than 50,000 people arrived on 800 boats, and tragically more than 1,200 people died at sea. Those— (Time expired)