If you act in haste you can repent at leisure – I must have heard those words a hundred times or more during my childhood. They are an enduring wisdom advising prudence and caution before action. It is an inherently conservative disposition that used to be considered ‘common sense’.
Alas, common sense has become rather rare and is sorely needed in our public realm. Its absence was evident during the first meaningful debate to take place in this parliamentary year. The subject matter was removing one of the planks in Australia’s comprehensive border protection policy.
Whatever the other failings of the government, their commitment and resolve in defending our borders from assorted unarmed invaders, economic refugees, queue jumpers and faux-refugees has been their finest work.
Today that was all undone by Labor, the Greens and some grandstanding crossbenchers.
A large chink has been taken out of our border protection armour and there is little doubt that the people smuggling racket will be touting for business as a result. The list of victims from this insidious trade will be long – and it won’t just be those who drown at sea.
The Australian public will also be victims. We will all be paying the price for the egos and political bluster of many of your politicians. Already the government has ordered Christmas Island to reopen. As the boats come, the cost of offshore detention will once again result in billions of dollars of your money being spent.
Many more billions will be spent in the courts, on welfare, medical care and an assortment of bonuses for winning the Aussie refugee lottery. All this (and more) thanks to Labor and their fellow political travellers.
You should be very disappointed with this capitulation by Bill Shorten and Labor. I thought they had learned their lesson after what they did in government but now, with only months before an election, they have caved in to pressure from the Greens and irresponsible independents.
They have failed the principle test of leadership and demonstrated weakness when resolve was needed. As they are prepared to risk our security, our safety and our nation in opposition one can only imagine what they will do once in government.
Today Labor demonstrated they have learned nothing since they last surrendered our borders to an armada of foreign invaders. They did so to score a political point against a floundering government.
However, in doing so, they have also opened the door (ever so slightly) for the Coalition to win the next election. National security is that important and if just one boat comes as a result of this terrible policy change the Coalition have a real shot.
Labor will be hoping that won’t happen. I’ll be hoping that Labor don’t get the chance to form government. Australia simply can’t afford their radical agenda.
However, there is one other very important lesson we can take from the debacle today. The vote was lost in the Senate. If you could replace a Green or a Hinch or one of their ilk with a Conservative senator, Australia would be in safer hands.
Cory Bernardi is the author of seven books and has been a member of the Australian rowing team, a publican, an investment portfolio manager and spent nearly 14 years as an Australian Senator.
