Fourth boat arrival for 2012 is a warning that Labor must hear
Posted on Wednesday, 25 January, 2012
The latest illegal boat arrival, carrying 74 passengers and 2 crew, is the fourth boat in only three weeks since the new year, proving once again that the people smuggling business is showing no signs of slowing in 2012, Acting Shadow Minister for Immigration & Citizenship and Shadow Minister for Justice, Customs and Border Protection Michael Keenan said today.
"Four boats have arrived this year despite the heavy weather patterns that would normally deter people smuggling at this time of year", Mr Keenan said.
"This should act as a warning to the Gillard Labor Government that 2012 is going to be a bonanza for people smugglers unless they do something to stop this from happening"
"Tough measures are the only way to send the message to people smugglers that Australia will no longer tolerate them being in charge over who comes to Australia"
"We know what these tough measures are and the sooner the Labor Party adopt the proven prescription of the Coalition then the sooner we can close our borders to this evil trade," he said.
"The hard working men and women of the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service have spent this week cleaning up the mess created by the Gillard Government’s bad policy decisions. On top of this Customs have also been tasked with collecting whaling protestors and have been forced to work at this taxing tempo despite the heavy funding cuts that Labor has imposed upon them"
"How can the Gillard Government continue to justify the cuts they made to our border protection agencies when they have been left to deal with the chaos that this incompetent Labor Government has created?
"The Prime Minister was instructing others on what is responsible behaviour this week, yet her Government have opened our borders to the people smugglers and abolished the Coalition’s border protection policies that have proven to work," Mr Keenan said.