“Stop the Boats!” is arguably the Abbott government’s most significant and enduring legacy. A decade on, the Albanese government has abolished Temporary Protection Visas but remains committed to turn-backs, offshore processing, and mandatory detention. The website of Operation Sovereign Borders features an arrow that is turned back and around a boat, accompanied by the words “Zero Chance”.
While the boats have been stopped, the debate over the legacy and legitimacy of Australia’s deterrence measures continues. Reports that millions of dollars were paid to politicians in PNG and Nauru have renewed calls by refugee advocates for a Royal Commission into offshore processing.
So, ten years on, it’s worth revisiting the question: “Should we still stop the boats?”