Bill Shorten: I’ll take half a win on encryption laws

Bill Shorten defends his stance on border laws as Scott Morrison slams him as a threat to national security.

Bill Shorten is a threat to national security Scott Morrison says. Picture: AAP.

Bill Shorten says he will “take half a win” on encryption laws and that Scott Morrison’s claim he has softened on border protection due to his support for medical evacuations is “rubbish”.

The Prime Minister has continued to label Mr Shorten a “threat to national security” over the delays in legislating encryption laws and Labor’s support for the Nauru amendments.

The passage of the encryption laws was a key win for the Prime Minister, who argued they were key to fighting terrorists, drug smuggling rings and paedophiles.

Mr Shorten said this morning that he still has concerns about the bill increasing security services’ access to encrypted messaging apps, despite Labor dropping amendments in the Senate last night.

“There are legitimate concerns about the encryption legislation but I wasn’t prepared to walk away from my job and leave matters in a standoff and leave Australians at risk in terms of national security,” he told reporters in Canberra today.

“It’s not a perfect solution and to all those who are concerned about the economic impact of this legislation, we hear you.

“And we’ve said, we want to review it … but I’ll take half a win.”

Mr Shorten also said his support for crossbench amendments which would allow asylum seekers to be evacuated from offshore processing centres on the advice of two doctors, was not a softening of Labor’s position on border protection.

“In terms of our borders, we will turn back boats where it is safe to do so, we will still keep offshore processing. Full stop,” he said.

“If Mr Morrison argues that the only way you have border protection is not to provide timely medical treatment to asylum seekers on Manus and Nauru, that’s rubbish.”

“Under this government, they have had hundreds come from Manus and Nauru for medical treatment but somehow when Labor and the crossbench proposed some rules around it, this became an unacceptable attack on borders. That’s rubbish.”

Shorten ‘threat to national security’

Bill Shorten is a “threat to national security” and was “dragged kicking and screaming” to passing a bill increasing police powers to access encrypted messaging apps, Scott Morrison says.

The Prime Minister has continued his attack on the Opposition Leader this morning despite a deal to pass a bill last night which would give security services to tackle terrorists and paedophiles who use encrypted messaging apps.

“I do think Bill Shorten is a threat when it comes to our national security because he has to be dragged kicking and screaming every time you try and get these things done,” he told the Nine Network.

“You don’t try and play politics with these things.”

Labor passed the encryption bill and dropped their pursuit of further amendments in the Senate last night, after a debate on amendments which would allow the medical evacuation of sick adults from Nauru dragged out for hours.

The Nauru amendments did not make the House of Representatives and the government avoided the first legislative defeat in the chamber in nearly 80 years.

Mr Morrison said he did not fear the return of the Nauru amendments in February, when parliament returns from the summer break, despite appearing to lack the numbers to stop it.

“There are a lot of big claims being made here by the Labor Party and commentators. So far none of them have come true,” he said.

Mr Morrison also said the amendments were not necessary because children and sick adults in offshore processing treatment were already getting necessary treatment.

“All the children who have had medical-related issues for transfers have been transferred. 100 children have come off Nauru in the last three months.

“When it comes to the others on Manus or Nauru, we have doctors and medical staff in place. Where these issues are raised transfers take place. In some places people are transferred to Taiwan or Port Moresby for medical treatment and they receive it.”