Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Unfortunately, Senator McKim, yet again—and you and I have done this before—we are going to agree to disagree. The decision that we have made strikes the right balance in our government's strong border protection policies. The Morrison government, unlike you, Senator McKim, and the Australian Greens, will not send a message to the people smugglers that Australia is open for business. This case alone reminds Australians that we are still dealing, in 2021, with the legacy caseload of what occurred last time you were given the opportunity, Senator McKim, of joining with the Australian Labor Party, when in government, to unravel Australia's strong border protection policies. There were 50,000 people arriving illegally here by boat and 1,200 people, that we know of, dying at sea. We will not, as a government, send that message to the people smugglers.