Mr MORRISON (Cook—Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) (14:23): It is always a pleasure to get a question from the bighearted member for Wright. I am asked about what impacts changes of policy on border protection have on people smugglers, and there is plenty of evidence on this fact. In August 2008, the Rudd Labor government at that time completed the demolition of the successful Howard government policies when they put through the abolition of temporary protection visas, following their own turn-back on turn-backs, and also going against and shutting down the Pacific solution. We know what happened after that—we went from an average of three boats a year under the last six years of the Howard government to an average of 165 boats a year over the next five years. Some almost 1,200 deaths later, some 800 boats later, and some 50,000 illegal arrivals later, this government has pulled the rug on Labor's people smuggler's picnic. That is what we have done. We have put the policies in place that have ensured people smugglers no longer have a product to sell, and it was achieved as a result of a change of policy and as a result of a change of leadership. Critical in all of those policies was turning back boats. Prior to the turn back of boats, in the 10 months before, 300 boats turned up. What happened in the 10 months after? Just one boat. I was pleased that the shadow minister acknowledged that on the weekend. It was a glimmer of light. But that light was shut down so quickly from the captain of 'team idiot' over there. He was so quick to shut that down. Honourable members interjecting— Mr MORRISON: They must assume I am referring to the Leader of the Opposition, and I am! There was a glimmer of light shut down by the Leader of the Opposition, and what we have done, when he was— The SPEAKER: The minister will resume his seat. The Manager of Opposition Business. Mr Burke: Madam Speaker, you asked for the same comment to be withdrawn a couple of days ago. The SPEAKER: It would assist the House if the minister would withdraw. Mr MORRISON: To assist the House, I withdraw. After a few tweets after the shadow minister's acknowledgement of the success of the turn-back policy, the Leader of the Opposition, in response to those tweets, has curled up in a little ball and rolled over on turn-backs. And you know, if you cannot stand up to Twitter, Leader of the Opposition, you cannot stand up to the people smugglers, and no one will ever trust that you can do it. Because it is now the policy of the Leader of the Opposition to turn back border protection policy to Kevin Rudd. That is what we have in front of us. But it is not just the weakness of the Leader of the Opposition, which all of us know now, on border protection. What has happened to the once great Labor Right that used to sit on the Labor Party benches? What happened to those giants of the caucus who have now become minnows and handmaidens of the Left of the Labor Party? They are totally divided between Left and Right on that side of the House. And that is why they cannot be trusted on border protection: they are riven with division.