Peter Dutton addresses people smuggling on Liberal campaign

Over one hundred people smuggling operations have been disrupted or turned back, in the five years of Operation Sovereign Borders.

Home Affairs Minister, Peter Dutton, has now revealed 600 people smugglers have been arrested.

But, he warns there are 14,000 asylum seekers waiting in Indonesia, and the operations could start up if the people smugglers believe there's a chance of getting back into business.

Seventy ventures have been disrupted, and 33 boats turned around.

"The people smugglers treat human beings as they do any other commodity," Mr Dutton said.

"So, they move drugs, they move tobacco, they move gun parts, they move people.

"And if they think there's an opportunity to get back into the people-moving business, they will be there.

"People smugglers are an evil scourge who are looking for innocent men, women, and children to take money from.

"They don't care whether they make Australian land or go to the bottom of the ocean.

"They look at every word that's uttered by the prime minister, by Bill Shorten, by myself, and if they believe there's an opportunity for them to get back into business, they'll be back in it."

Mr Dutton was campaigning for Liberal Mayo by-election candidate, Georgina Downer, and used the issue to attack Centre Alliance's, Rebekha Sharkie, who is expected to easily regain the seat she lost in the dual citizenship debacle.

"Rebekha Sharkie has sided with the Greens and with Bill Shorten on every key decision to oppose us in our tough border protection policies," he said.

Mr Dutton described Ms Sharkie as "Bill Shorten's candidate."

Mr Shorten accused the government of “yelling out and trying to goad the people smugglers to try their hand”.

“We are as committed as the government to stopping the boats,” Mr Shorten said while campaigning in Braddon.

“But we don’t believe in indefinite detention.”

He said the boats would not re-start under a Labor Government.

“We don’t want the dangerous voyages (to re-commence).”