Senator CASH (Western Australia—Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women) (14:52): I thank Senator Johnston for the question. Last week marked the 18-month anniversary of the implementation of Operation Sovereign Borders, and can I take this opportunity to thank and praise the men and women of the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, who have been at the front line of the delivery of this policy. At the 2013 election, Australians voted overwhelmingly for the implementation of the Abbott government but also for the implementation of strong border protection policies, which, as we know, were denied to them for six years under the former Rudd and Gillard Labor governments. Australians can now judge this government on the basis of the following statistics. Since the implementation of the full suite of Operation Sovereign Borders, which, I remind senators, includes the option of tow-backs where it is safe to do so, there has been one illegal boat arrival in Australia—just one. Let's compare that with the record of the last 18 months of the former Rudd and Gillard governments. In 18 months, the Australian public endured a staggering 534 boat arrivals with 35,000 illegal arrivals on board. And that is just the last 18 months of the— The PRESIDENT: Pause the clock. Senator Wright: I rise on a point of order, Mr President. The minister is misleading the Senate. It is not illegal to seek asylum in Australia. The PRESIDENT: That is not a point of order. Senator Abetz: On a point of order, Mr President, you have ruled on this issue on many occasions now and I would invite you to consider action against senators who continually raise points of order that they know have been ruled against. The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Abetz. Senator Cash has the call. Senator CASH: As I was saying, there have been 534 boats and 35,000 illegal maritime arrivals. Under Mr Chris Bowen, the former minister for immigration— The PRESIDENT: Pause the clock. Senator Whish-Wilson: Mr President, on a point of order, I draw your attention to whether the minister is deliberately misleading the chamber on this issue. She has been reminded that it is not illegal to seek asylum. The PRESIDENT: That is not a point of order. You are debating the issue. There is an opportunity at the end of question time for those matters to be debated. Senator CASH: Under former minister Chris Bowen, there were 24,000 illegal maritime arrivals. Under former minister Brendan O'Connor, 12½ thousand people arrived here illegally. Then we have a look at former minister Tony Burke. He only had 5½ thousand arrive on his watch, but put it into perspective, colleagues: he was minister for less than 12 weeks. That is what you get under a Rudd and Gillard government.