Federal Minister Scott Morrison reveals very little about boat arrivals at a presser on boat arrivals. Credit:Peter Rae During the Rudd (1), Gillard, and Rudd (2) Labor governments, the Opposition led by Tony Abbott and his senior front benchers, flayed Labor over the increasing number of boats arriving in our waters laden with people wishing to claim asylum. Foremost among the critics of Labor's increasingly desperate efforts to stop the boats was then Shadow Minister for Immigration, Scott Morrison. The loquacious Mr Morrision attacked every policy initiative the bumbling Labor government introduced, as it desperately tried to dissuade the thousands of people who were trying to reach Australia in boats, that for many, proved to be death traps. As boat arrivals increased in number Mr Morrison used the media relentlessly and effectively to highlight Labor's helplessness.

And Mr Morrison was not alone, he had allies in the mainstream media who devoted hours of talkback radio time, reams of newsprint, and hours of television chat to the asylum seeker issue. Boat arrivals and the activities of people smugglers was severely damaging to Labor and a huge winner for the coalition, and Mr Abbott and Mr Morrisson milked it right up until election time. That was then. Now, with the coalition in power, Mr Morrison has clammed up. On the question of boat arrivals and associated issues the formerly outspoken Scott Morrison has gone from willingly talkative to tight-lipped and secretive. Mr Morrison gives the impression it will take a very strong man with a very large crowbar to make him open his mouth when questioned over the issue.

Trying to get answers from Mr Morrison and his uniformed puppet from the Australian Defence Force is invariably met with a knockback, and both take refuge from probing questions behind the phrase "no comment that's an operational matter". A hackneyed old ploy for years used by those in power seeking to keep information from the media and the public. No one uses the "operational matter" shield with more effect than Mr Morrison. Where once it was difficult to shut Mr Morrison up over the issue of boat arrivals, these days when the press flicks the odd tricky question his way, he simply refuses to answer. During his time as Opposition Spokesperson on Immigration Mr Morrison gave daily, almost hourly, briefings on Labor's desperate efforts to find workable solutions to people smuggling.

Now Mr Morrison gives the impression it will take a very strong man with a very large crowbar to make him open his mouth when questioned over the issue. Mr Morrison's performance in opposition was devastatingly effective in damaging Labor. His relentless criticisms ensured boat arrivals and people smuggling remained a hot issue with the media and the electorate up to and throughout the 2013 election campaign. His robust performance in oppostion and the attendant press coverage also ensured that people smugglers simply had to access Australian media to acquire information about the policies of the then government and the weaknesses in Labor's border protection policies. Apparently Mr Morrison is of the opinion that constant media scrutiny of the issue was OK then, but not now. Mr Morrison and members of the Abbott government learned a telling lesson from their time in office. That is, if a controversial issue can hurt you at the ballot box, keep it out of the news. Giving information to an inquisitive press can be damaging

All of which means the Australian people have very little idea what the Abbott government is doing, and perhaps, when it comes to asylum seekers, a majority of them don't care, just as long as the boats stop coming. But under our system governments must be answerable for their actions, if not to the media, then certainly to the parliament. If the Abbott government can avoid scrutiny of its actions over this issue, what next will they try to hide? Tune into Bob Maumill on Sundays on Radio 6PR. Follow WAtoday on Twitter