Peter Dutton says Labor trying to undermine border protection policy

Peter Dutton says Labor is trying to undermine the “three pillars” of the government’s border protection policy.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton continued his attack on Labor’s backing of medical evacuations of sick adult asylum seekers from Nauru and said they were trying to undermine the “three pillars” of the government’s border protection policy.

Bill Shorten has never had a full security briefing on Operation Sovereign Borders, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton says.

The Home Affairs Minister continued his attack on Labor’s backing of medical evacuations of sick adult asylum seekers from Nauru and said they were trying to undermine the “three pillars” of the government’s border protection policy.

He told 2GB radio in Sydney that the Opposition Leader, who has been leading Labor for five years, has never received a full briefing from border security officials on their key boat-stopping strategy.

“These people who think you can just stop boats on the water, turn them around, and everything will be fine. It’s a complete joke … they don’t have any understanding,” he told 2GB this morning.

“Bill Shorten’s never had a full security briefing on Operation Sovereign Borders.”

Mr Shorten has been approached for comment on Mr Dutton’s claims he has never received a full security briefing.

The Labor national conference in Adelaide this weekend is expected to continue to back boat turnbacks after leading Left faction figures Tanya Plibersek, Penny Wong and Anthony Albanese pledged to back Mr Shorten’s support for the government tactic.

Mr Dutton said he did not expect the Labor Left to shift the opposition’s approach to turnbacks, but highlighted their parliamentary support for medical evacuations.

“The Left won’t get their way, that’s the reality of that, but Bill Shorten demonstrated something more tangible,” he said.

“In the parliament last week, they demonstrated through their vote in the Senate that they supported a bill that would bring an end to offshore processing.”

Mr Shorten yesterday refused to say if Labor’s controversial medical transfer bill would apply to future asylum-seekers sent to Manus Islan­d and Nauru.