Media Release

Labor spin on pull factors shows Gillard can't be trusted on boats

Tuesday 27th July 2010

Reports today that advice was provided to the Labor Government that their high approval rates for asylum seekers arriving illegally by boat were acting as a ‘major pull factor’ show once again that Julia Gillard can’t be trusted to stop illegal boat arrivals, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Scott Morrison said today.

“Ever since Labor’s policies were changed and the resulting boats arrived in ever increasing numbers, government ministers, including the current Prime Minister vehemently denied their soft border protection policies acted as pull factors for people smugglers but the Labor spin has been exposed,” Mr Morrison said.

“Labor must now tell the truth and release the advice they received that their policies were acting as a pull factor for illegal boat arrivals,” he said.

“This is yet another reason why the Australian people can’t trust Julia Gillard to stop the boats. Whether it is failing to even acknowledge the pull factors of her failed policies or her never never East Timor processing centre, Julia Gillard simply doesn’t believe boat arrivals are a problem and isn’t serious about a solution.

“This is a problem that this government created. It is their policy of tick and flick on the permanently overcrowded Christmas Island which has helped people smugglers sell their product and send out record numbers of people on dangerous journeys on leaky boats for profit.

“This is also why the Coalition announced a policy presuming against protection status for someone who has thrown their documentation away.

“Only a Coalition Government will tighten up procedures for illegal boat arrivals, will get tough at sea and make sure solutions like offshore processing are in place.

“As our discussions with the Government and Opposition of Nauru over the last 48 hours have shown, offshore processing on Nauru is absolutely possible and if Julia Gillard was serious about stopping the boats she would simply pick up the phone to the government of Nauru and get on with it,” Mr Morrison said.