Federal opposition accuses Labor of having ‘no idea’ about border protection
The federal Opposition is demanding an explanation over the arrival of more asylum seekers in Western Australia, accusing Labor of having “no idea” how to control the borders.
NSW
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The federal opposition is demanding an explanation over the arrival of more asylum seekers in Western Australia, accusing Labor of having “no idea what to do to get them back under control”.
Asylum seekers who arrived by boat at a remote air base in the Kimberly region have been transported to Australia’s offshore detention facility in Nauru as concerns grow over an increase in boat people.
Coalition home affairs spokesman James Paterson said it’s the third illegal boat to arrive on Australian shores in the last five months.
“There’s been three in the last five months that have made it to the Australian mainland, dropped off asylum seekers and left again without being detected,” Senator Paterson said on Sunrise on Monday morning.
“That’s among 13 boats that have attempted to make the journey to Australia since the election last two years.
“It’s clear the Prime Minister has lost control of our borders. He has no idea what to do to get them back under control again.”
It is believed the latest refugees are Chinese, only the second boat of Chinese asylum seekers since 2012.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday maintained that no changes needed to be made to Operation Sovereign Borders, Australia’s border protection regime, despite the spate of arrivals.
“People smugglers will always try to change their methods in order to ply what is the dangerous trade. But there is no change to Operation Sovereign Borders. It’s important that message be sent,” he said.
“We’ll use all avenues at our disposal to make sure that the borders are protected and make sure we respond in accordance with the principles of Operation Sovereign Borders. And that’s what we have, again, done on this occasion.”
Asked if this incident signalled a weak spot in Australia’s border protection, Mr Albanese said Australia had a “very large coastline”.
Shadow Attorney Dan Tehan also said that Labor has dropped the ball on border protection.
“The problem is Labor has got a very, very poor track record when it comes to keeping our borders safe,” Mr Tehan said to 2GB’s Mark Levy on Monday morning.
“We know this from the last time they were in government and we’re seeing the same thing play out again now.
“They’ve cut maritime surveillance, they’ve cut aerial surveillance, they got rid of temporary protection visas and Anthony Albanese has put in charge two incompetent and weak ministers and the people smugglers know this and that’s why trying their trade again.”
Mr Tehan also said the government needs to explain how thousands of other refugees are breaching Australia’s borders by plane.
“I really think the focus on boats is quite, quite bizarre actually, we’re talking about 15 people yet but each year for the last decade on average 2000 people have arrived by aeroplanes and applied for asylum, we rarely talk about those,” he said.
Insiders familiar with the base reported an increase in Indonesian fishermen illegally coming into the area over the past 18 months.
Sources reported the fishermen were cutting hideouts in the mangroves around the isolated area at the end of last year.
Border Force sources are also reportedly concerned about people smugglers now using high-powered boats that can drop people off at the Australian coast and return to international waters a lot faster than the traditionally used wooden boats.
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