Burke defends border security record, vows hardline on released immigration detainees

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says the Opposition is “trashing” its credibility by lying about the government’s handling of national security.

Tony Burke has defended the Albanese government’s handling of national security, accusing the Opposition of “making things up”.

Mr Burke was handed responsibility for Australia’s national security and immigration when he emerged from last week’s ministerial reshuffle as home affairs minister.

Reacting to Opposition criticisms of his record as immigration minister under the Rudd government and the current government’s border security policies, Mr Burke said the Coalition had “weird arguments”.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has defended the Albanese governments border protection policies. Picture: NewsWire / David Crosling

“You don’t apologise for reducing the number of people putting their lives at risk on the high seas by 90 per cent,” he told Sky News on Sunday, responding to comments made by former Liberal prime minister Tony Abbott.

Mr Abbott took a shot at Mr Burke for not implementing boat turn backs when he was last in charge of Australia’s borders.

“You don’t apologise for a fundamental achievement that was significant to strengthening our borders and was also significant to saving lives,” Mr Burke said.

“There’s some really weird arguments the Opposition have thrown around.”

Pointing to opposition defence spokesman Andrew Hastie’s questioning of the Defence Force’s role in border protection, the senior minister insisted “co-operation with the Defence Force on the protection of our borders is nothing new.”

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said he cannot stop the Opposition “making things up”. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“I can’t stop them making things up,” Mr Burke said.

“It doesn’t particularly bother me if they want to trash their own credibility.”

Speaking to Sky shortly after, Mr Hastie hit back at the home affairs minister, saying Mr Burke spent too much time talking about the Opposition and not enough time focusing on his portfolio.

“Our job as Opposition is to hold him accountable and we’ll do that because this government has been an absolute shambles on border protection,” Mr Hastie told Sky News.

“He’s got a big job to do to secure our borders and to ensure that the government is doing everything it can to keep the Australian community safe.”