People smugglers could be jailed for 10 years or more under a planned Liberal immigration policy.
Speaking at his campaign launch in Brisbane, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott laid out tough border control plans that would see boatloads of refugees turned back.
A Liberal Government would pursue dialogue with the small Pacific nation of Nauru to reopen a processing centre for asylum seekers, said Mr Abbott.
“We are determined to send a strong message to people smugglers that their cruel and callous trade in human cargo must stop,” he told enthusiastic supporters.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard wasted no time in pointing out that the Government had introduced new border protection laws this year, including a maximum 20-year jail term penalty for the most serious people-smuggling offences, including 10 years for assisting smugglers.
“We’ve got mandatory jail sentences in the current legislation. We have had a crackdown,” she told a television audience.
Speaking at his campaign launch in Brisbane, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott laid out tough border control plans that would see boatloads of refugees turned back.
A Liberal Government would pursue dialogue with the small Pacific nation of Nauru to reopen a processing centre for asylum seekers, said Mr Abbott.
“We are determined to send a strong message to people smugglers that their cruel and callous trade in human cargo must stop,” he told enthusiastic supporters.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard wasted no time in pointing out that the Government had introduced new border protection laws this year, including a maximum 20-year jail term penalty for the most serious people-smuggling offences, including 10 years for assisting smugglers.
“We’ve got mandatory jail sentences in the current legislation. We have had a crackdown,” she told a television audience.
