People smuggler boats turned back on their way to NZ

PEOPLE smugglers are moving to cash-in on a left-leaning New Zealand as it can be revealed Operation Sovereign Borders has turned back four boats trying to get across the ditch.

Manus Island asylum seekers and refugees protesting at the now defunct detention centre. Picture: AAP Image/Refugee Action Coalition

PEOPLE smugglers are moving to cash-in on a left-leaning New Zealand as it can be revealed

Operation Sovereign Borders has turned back four boats trying to get across the ditch.

In shock new details, it can be revealed crime syndicates have tried to bypass Australia’s tough immigration measures and attempted to send four boats, carrying 164 asylum seekers, to NZ.

It comes as there are genuine fears within intelligence communities that the direction of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern who has kept her predecessor’s offer to resettle 150 refugees but has been highly-critical of Australia’s policy may be used by people smugglers to encourage desperate people to risk their lives at sea.

The Courier-Mail understands that “chatter” has resumed among people smugglers who have pointed to the stand-off between Australia and NZ.

It is not know when the boats were intercepted or what country they started from but it is believed they told OSB they were headed to NZ. They were turned or towed back to near Indonesian waters.

In a recent exclusive interview with The Courier-Mail, the man in charge of OSB, Air Vice-Marshal Stephen Osborn said people smugglers leapt on changes of governments or ministers to get back into business.

“And it will be spun, whether it is (true) or not, because you’ll have people smugglers who will go, ‘Right, here’s something that has a grain of truth, there’s been a change in minister for example, we can spin this that he’s a really nice guy, he’s left-leaning, like the Greens or whatever, and he’ll invite us’,” he said earlier this year.

While it has never before been revealed that four boats were turned back, last week Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said NZ had been a destination for people smugglers.

“New Zealand is seen as we know from our own intelligence, New Zealand is seen as effectively part of Australia by the people smugglers,’’ Mr Turnbull told ABC Radio.

“Do you know, we have intercepted and turned back boats which were heading to New Zealand?

“I mean the people smugglers, the only reason New Zealand does not have thousands of people arriving in an unauthorised way on their shores is because of our border protection policies.

“New Zealand is a prime beneficiary from our strong border protection policies.”

Ms Ardern is expected to again offer to take 150 asylum seekers from Manus Island when she meets with Mr Turnbull on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit.

Liberal Democrats Senator David Leyonhjelm said it would be a bad outcome.

“That’s a fatal mistake, literally a fatal mistake. People die when that happens,” Senator Leyonhjelm said.

“If these people are taken in by New Zealand it will effectively be a back door into Australia.”