Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator McGrath for the question. The Australian government's first priority will always be to keep Australia and Australians safe. On this side of the chamber we understand that a fundamental responsibility of the Commonwealth government is the security of our nation and its people. It is a result of the strong policies that have been implemented by the coalition government that the people smugglers' business model has been comprehensively destroyed. This has only occurred because we have stood firm. We have stared down the people smugglers. But not only have we stared down the people smugglers, we have stared down attempts by those opposite, of course, and attempts by the Australian Greens to water down border protection policy in this country.

When we were first elected to office, we put in place policies that the Labor Party and the Australian Greens said would never work. Not only did they say they would never work, they were fundamentally opposed to them. We have turned back the boats when they have tried to illegally come to Australia. That is a policy that has worked. It is also something that those on the other side said was impossible to do. We have introduced temporary protection visas, something those opposite still oppose. We are clear in our policy stance: anybody who attempts to come here illegally will never be settled in Australia. As a result of these tough-but-fair policies, we have ensured that the Commonwealth government—the coalition government—has taken back control of border security in Australia, unlike the former Labor government, who outsourced this important policy to the people smugglers.