Kristina Keneally say Ray Hadley was ‘dead wrong’ in morning radio clash with Anthony Albanese over border security

Ray Hadley has been called out by Kristina Keneally for being “dead wrong” during an explosive tit-for-tat with Labor leader Anthony Albanese.

Kristina Keneally has put Ray Hadley in her sights after calling the popular talk-back host “dead wrong” following a spat with Labor leader Anthony Albanese on Australia’s borders.

Hadley clashed with Mr Albanese over the Solomon Islands’ security agreement with China, climate change and boat turnbacks on Tuesday morning in a fiery debate as the Labor leader remains in isolation due to COVID-19.

The 2GB host grilled the would-be prime minister over Operation Sovereign Borders in which Mr Albanese maintained there would be no change to the existing protocols under a Labor government.

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Hadley rejected Mr Albanese’s claim that Labor would operate Australia’s borders “in the same way that the government does” because the opposition had repeatedly ruled out temporary protection visas.

But the shadow home affairs minister dismissed Hadley’s assertions and said the temporary protection visa was redundant in terms of boat arrivals.

“With all respect to Ray Hadley, he is dead wrong,” Ms Keneally said.

“People do not go on temporary protection visas if they attempt to come to Australia by boat, they get sent to Nauru.”

Ms Keneally said Operation Sovereign Borders involved boat turnbacks, offshore processing and regional resettlement with temporary protection visas not used since the program was put in place.

“Nobody has gone on temporary protection visas since the introduction of Operation Sovereign Borders,” she continued.

“To be clear, if you attempt to come to Australia by boat, you will not make it. You will be turned back or you will be sent to Nauru.

“And again, with the greatest respect to Ray Handley, he is absolutely wrong. People who attempt to come to Australia by boat are turned back or sent to Nauru, they are not put on Australian temporary protection visa.”

Mr Albanese was forced to defend a barrage of questions over Labor’s intention to scrap the temporary protection visa which the government says serves as a key pillar of Australia’s existing border protection policy.

“You won’t have temporary protection visas because you’re terrified of what Kristina Keneally and Penny Wong will do to you if you have them,” Hadley blasted at the Labor leader.

“You know that the only way you stop the boats is to have a three-pronged attack.”

Mr Albanese reassured that his government would not provide visas to people attempting to arrive in Australia by boat and doubled down on his claim there would be no settlements.

“But how are you going to achieve that,” Hadley said.

Mr Albanese quickly jumped back and said: “in the same way that the government does”.

“The same policy that exists now will apply under us.”

But Hadley hit back at the Labor leader, raising his voice and said: “No it won’t because you don’t have temporary protection visas”

“Yes it will,” Mr Albanese responded.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has maintained that the temporary protection visa remains integral to Operation Sovereign Borders.

Mr Morrison said last week that the visas were part of the “three strand cord” which assured boat arrivals stopped under the Abbott and subsequent Coalition governments.

“I am just amazed that after all of this time, Anthony Albanese is saying that he would abolish temporary protection visas if he were to become Prime Minister,” Mr Morrison said at a campaign stop in Western Australia.

“Labor has learnt nothing when it comes to border protection and I think that’s very disappointing because it does set out, I suppose, a very clear choice.

“A government that knows how to protect and secure our borders and a Labor opposition that you just don’t know at all.”