NATIONALS candidate for Lyne David Gillespie and Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop have hit out at Labor’s asylum seekers plan.
Responding to a story in last week’s Port Macquarie Independent where Labor candidate for Lyne Peter Alley backed Kevin Rudd’s plan, Mr Gillespie and Ms Bishop said it was another example of Labor making a grand announcement without thinking about the details.
“David, I and the rest of the Liberal and Nationals team welcome genuine efforts to stop the flow of illegal boat arrivals arriving on our shores,” Ms Bishop said.
“Unfortunately for the people of the Mid North Coast, Labor’s grand new Papua New Guinea policy is already unravelling.
“We’ve learnt that the arrangement between Australia and Papua New Guinea doesn’t guarantee that all asylum seekers who arrive in Australia will be relocated.”
Mr Gillespie said Mid North Coast residents were appalled by the waste and budget blow-outs by the current government.
“We’ve already had a $10 billion blow-out from immigration alone under this government. Now we’re seeing estimates that Labor’s new arrangement will potentially cost billions of dollars per year,” he said.
“These are the dollars of Mid North Coast taxpayers. We could duplicate the Pacific Highway all the way to Queensland for less than what this government has spent on boats.
“Our policy will not have additional costs. By stopping the boats we will stop the budget blow-outs, the tragedy and the chaos that continue to make headlines each and every week under this government.”
