People smugglers preparing for a possible change of government

A SENIOR intelligence sources says people smugglers are using a possible change of government to promote illegal voyages to Australia.

This boat carrying asylum-seekers intercepted off Christmas Island in 2013 started its voyage in Indonesia.

PEOPLE smugglers are telling would-be asylum seekers that a change of government would result in a “softening” of Australia’s border protection policy.

A well-known people smuggler in the region has told prospective clients Australia’s tough turnback policy is at risk of being watered down if Labor wins at the next federal election.

A senior intelligence source said it was the first time “the Labor Party” had specifically been mentioned by people smugglers trying to promote illegal voyages to Australia.

Australian Navy personnel escort a boat containing 40-50 asylum seekers.

“It is no longer just chatter, it is openly being discussed among people smugglers, including at least one instance of a people smuggler preparing for a possible change of government,” the source said.

If elected, Labor leader Bill Shorten has vowed to turn back asylum-seeker boats ­following a hard-fought policy victory at the ALP national conference in 2015 which divided his frontbench.

But Labor’s border protection policy will again be up for debate when the party’s powerful national conference meets in South Australia in July.

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In recent months intelligence officials have expressed concern that people smugglers operating in the region were using any slight change in the language used by political leaders to encourage desperate clients to risk their lives at sea.

The senior intelligence source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said people smugglers had become “much more aware of political developments” in Australia in recent times.

People smugglers in the region, including in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, were “preparing for a new government that they believe could soften its policy,” the source said.

Last month Immigration Minister Peter Dutton warned that New Zealand was being “marketed” as a destination by people smugglers after New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern lobbied Australia to allow it to resettle 150 refugees from Manus Island.

When contacted by The Sunday Telegraphyesterday, Mr Dutton would not comment on the latest revelations.

The intelligence was picked up in recent months and comes ahead of the Batman by-election in Melbourne, in which Labor is gearing up for a for a fierce fight against the Greens.

Labor’s candidate, former ACTU boss Ged Kearney, had previously criticised Labor’s tough policy on asylum seekers, calling for an end to boat turnbacks.

The Liberal Party has ruled out running a candidate in the March 17 poll, meaning the by-election is likely to be fought on Left-leaning issues such as asylum-seeker policy.