Labor's welcome mat policies drive surge in boat arrivals
21/02/12
The arrival of the latest illegal boat, with 147 people on board, means almost 1,000 people have arrived so far this year, more than three times the 326 who arrived in the same period last year, as people smugglers respond to Labor’s welcome mat for boat arrivals, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Scott Morrison and Shadow Minister for Justice, Customs and Border Protection, Michael Keenan said today.
“Ever since the Labor Government completely gave up on border protection and embraced the Greens policies of community release in November last year, the rate of arrivals has increased even more,” Mr Morrison said.
“Under Labor’s community release policy, the number of people arriving by boat is almost double the rate of arrivals following the government’s abandonment of their Malaysia Solution legislation in the Parliament.
“People smugglers are responding in force to Labor’s welcome mat approach to illegal boat arrivals, with boat arrivals now surging as the monsoon season passes.
“Labor have not only lost control of our borders, they have now lost control of themselves.
“A distracted and divided Labor Government that can’t trust itself can’t be trusted to protect our borders. Labor are locked in denial and division, their only response is to seek to blame others for their policy failings, while refusing to restore the policies that worked,” Mr Morrison said.
Mr Keenan said: “A Labor Party at war with itself will never be able to make the tough but necessary decisions required to secure Australia’s borders.
“As the Gillard Labor Government remains paralysed the people smugglers understand it is open season to Australia.
“The frequency and scale of illegal arrivals over the past week is evidence the people smugglers will take advantage of the chaos engulfing the Government to pursue their evil trade.
“Tackling this requires a coherent response that shows purpose and resolve to stop the trade. Does anyone believe that the current Parliamentary Labor Party is capable of that?” Mr Keenan said.