The Claim
“Cited 'the boats have stopped' as evidence that the economy is doing well.”
Original Sources Provided
✅ FACTUAL VERIFICATION
The claim is verified - Prime Minister Tony Abbott did indeed cite "the boats have stopped" as evidence of economic success during an interview with Leigh Sales on ABC's 7.30 program on September 9, 2015 [1].
During the interview, when pressed on worsening economic indicators (unemployment rising from 5.8% to 6.3%, growth slowing from 2.5% to 2%, the Australian dollar falling from 92 cents to around 70 cents, and the budget deficit increasing from $30 billion to $48 billion), Abbott responded: "I don't accept that. The boats have stopped, the carbon tax has gone, the mining tax has gone, we're now on a path to sustainable surplus..." [1]
The interview became notable for Abbott repeatedly deflecting economic questions to border protection achievements, leading to a combative exchange with Sales [2].
Missing Context
The claim captures the essence of the interview but omits important context about Abbott's broader message. The full exchange shows Abbott was attempting to pivot to a list of Coalition achievements beyond just stopping boats:
- Carbon tax abolition
- Mining tax abolition
- Three free trade agreements finalised
- Job growth (335,000 more jobs, with growth at "four times the rate as in Labor's final year") [1]
The claim also doesn't note that Abbott prefaced his response with "I refuse to talk our country down" - framing his comments as patriotic reframing rather than substantive economic analysis [1].
Additionally, the incident occurred after a leadership spill motion had been defeated 61-39 earlier that day, with Abbott facing significant internal party pressure [3].
Source Credibility Assessment
The original source is ABC News, Australia's national public broadcaster. ABC is generally regarded as a reputable, mainstream news source with established editorial standards [1]. The specific article was written by political reporter Matthew Doran and published on the ABC News website following the 7.30 interview.
The 7.30 program itself is ABC's flagship current affairs program, known for rigorous interviewing. Leigh Sales is a respected journalist with a reputation for holding politicians to account regardless of political affiliation.
There is no evidence of partisan bias in the reporting - the article accurately quotes both Abbott's statements and the exchange with Sales without editorial commentary that favors either side.
Labor Comparison
Did Labor use non-economic achievements to deflect economic criticism?
Labor governments did face similar situations where they deflected economic criticism. During the Rudd-Gillard years (2007-2013), Labor frequently cited their handling of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) when facing economic criticism, despite the GFC being an external event rather than a direct economic policy outcome [4].
However, Labor's approach was different in nature - they cited economic management during a crisis as evidence of economic competence, rather than citing border protection achievements as evidence of economic performance.
Comparable incidents:
The most direct comparison is that both parties have used non-economic policy successes to bolster their overall governing credentials when facing economic criticism. The Abbott interview represents a more direct conflation - explicitly linking border protection directly to economic performance, rather than using it as part of a broader narrative of competent governance.
Balanced Perspective
The interview became widely mocked and was viewed as a significant political misstep, with multiple media outlets characterizing Abbott as "sidestepping" economic questions [1][2]. The Daily Mail described it as "bizarre" [2], while Junkee noted Abbott's history of difficult exchanges with Leigh Sales [3].
However, several legitimate points warrant consideration:
Policy Connection: There was an actual budgetary aspect to Operation Sovereign Borders. The Coalition claimed stopping boats saved taxpayers approximately $2.5 billion in the 2015 budget compared to continued arrivals at previous rates [5].
Political Strategy: Abbott was employing a common political tactic - reframing negative questions by pivoting to policy successes. While clumsy in execution, this is standard political communication practice across parties.
Context of the Day: The interview occurred immediately after a leadership spill motion. Abbott was likely under extreme pressure and may have been defaulting to well-rehearsed talking points rather than engaging with specific economic critiques.
The Full Exchange: Abbott did eventually address economic metrics in his response, citing "335,000 more jobs" and "business conditions...stronger now than at any time since 2008" [1].
The interview's notoriety stems not from the policy substance but from the perception that Abbott was avoiding direct economic questions. The comparison between border protection and economic performance is rhetorically jarring - stopping asylum seeker boats has limited direct causal connection to GDP growth, unemployment rates, or currency valuation.
TRUE
8.0
out of 10
The claim accurately reflects what occurred. Tony Abbott did cite "the boats have stopped" when asked about economic performance during the September 9, 2015 interview with Leigh Sales. The footage and transcript confirm this exchange took place exactly as described in the claim [1][2].
The claim does not exaggerate or misrepresent the incident. Abbott's statement that "the boats have stopped" was indeed offered in response to pointed questions about worsening economic indicators, and the juxtaposition was widely reported as Abbott deflecting from economic issues to border protection achievements.
Final Score
8.0
OUT OF 10
TRUE
The claim accurately reflects what occurred. Tony Abbott did cite "the boats have stopped" when asked about economic performance during the September 9, 2015 interview with Leigh Sales. The footage and transcript confirm this exchange took place exactly as described in the claim [1][2].
The claim does not exaggerate or misrepresent the incident. Abbott's statement that "the boats have stopped" was indeed offered in response to pointed questions about worsening economic indicators, and the juxtaposition was widely reported as Abbott deflecting from economic issues to border protection achievements.
📚 SOURCES & CITATIONS (5)
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1
abc.net.au
In an interview with 7.30, the Prime Minister calls on the ABC to talk up the economy and sidesteps questions on key economic indicators by citing his Government's record on stopping asylum seeker boats.
Abc Net -
2
theguardian.com
Leigh Sales’ interview with Tony Abbott becomes combative as the ABC host presses the prime minister on the economy and he replies ‘the boats have stopped’
the Guardian -
3
archive.junkee.com
[Complex economic statistics that prove damning truths for federal government] "The boats have stopped."
Junkee -
4
en.wikipedia.org
En Wikipedia
-
5
kevinhogan.com.au
Kevin Hogan MP
Rating Scale Methodology
1-3: FALSE
Factually incorrect or malicious fabrication.
4-6: PARTIAL
Some truth but context is missing or skewed.
7-9: MOSTLY TRUE
Minor technicalities or phrasing issues.
10: ACCURATE
Perfectly verified and contextually fair.
Methodology: Ratings are determined through cross-referencing official government records, independent fact-checking organizations, and primary source documents.