143 boats arrive under Labor
Monday, 05 July 2010
Since the Rudd-now-Gillard Labor Government weakened Australia’s border protection laws in August 2008 there have been 143 boats carrying more than 6,700 people claiming asylum in Australia.The Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott was in Curtin with local Federal Member and Deputy Leader of the Opposition Julie Bishop to unveil a mobile border protection billboard following the latest boat arrival on Sunday.
“The Rudd-now-Gillard Government destroyed the integrity of Australia’s orderly immigration program when they changed our border protection laws which put the people smuggling trade back into business,” Ms Bishop said.
“Julia Gillard has admitted to being the principal architect and drafter of Labor’s border protection policy, which has failed so monumentally.
“Under her policy the people smuggling trade has been reinvigorated and lives have been put at risk as people seeking asylum make the dangerous ocean journey to Australia.
“The Rudd-now-Gillard Government’s failure to take responsibility for the surge in the people smuggling trade and the record numbers of boats demonstrates that Labor cannot be trusted to solve the problem.
“The Opposition have promised to reintroduce offshore processing, temporary protection visas and to turn back the boats to restore order to our immigration system.
“Labor has changed leaders, but not its policies.
“The only way to restore integrity to our borders is to elect a Liberal Government,” Ms Bishop said.
