THE ALBANESE GOVERNMENT SMELLS OF WEAKNESS AS PEOPLE SMUGGLERS PICK UP THE SCENT

Friday 16 February 2024

More illegal boats, more weakness under Albanese

12 illegal boats and counting—potentially 303 illegal arrivals since Labor took office

Media reports of yet another illegal boat arrival in northern Western Australia are alarming. Under Labor, these breaches of our borders are becoming routine.

The weak leadership of the Prime Minister was revealed for all to see when he blamed being in a car for his ignorance of this latest breach of border security.

The Prime Minister’s poor excuse for his inability to take a briefing on a serious breach of our borders, was being in a car. Did he, or his staff, not have a phone between them?

He remained unaware of the illegal arrival until media reports it public.

Once again, the Prime Minister and his ministers are showing how soft they are on border security.

With such weak leadership, this government simply cannot keep Australia safe and secure.

Anthony Albanese has lost control of our borders—he and his ministers smell of weakness, and the people smugglers have picked up the scent.

Labor’s weakness on border security encourages people smugglers to continue piling people into dangerous boats headed for our shores.

These arrivals are a predictable result of Labor dismantling key pillars of Operation Sovereign Borders, which has incentivised people smugglers to re-commence operations.

It follows Labor ripping $600 million from border security in their most recent budget, a decision which, according to the Australian Border Force Commissioner, would leave his front-line forces “stretched”.

This second reported arrival on Australia's coastline in less than four months demonstrates that under Labor, Australian Border Force and Australian Defence Force resources have been stretched, and pushed to breaking point, leaving our borders vulnerable.

The Prime Minister needs to step up and resolve yet another national security failure on his watch. All eyes are on the weak leadership of the Albanese Government and the people smugglers are watching closely.