‘Up to six boats’ attempting to come to Australia: report

As many as six asylum seeker boats have recently attempted to reach Australian shores, according to a new report.

As many as six boats carrying asylum seekers have recently attempted to reach Australian shores, according to a new report.

A senior source in the Department of Home Affairs told 2GB’s Ben Fordham “there could be up to six boats in play”.

Mr Dutton is in Sri Lanka today to investigate the reports, Fordham told his radio show this afternoon.

Some of the six boats are believed to have had their journeys interrupted.

This follows a report last week that a asylum seeker vessel was intercepted in the Indian Ocean headed for Australia’s northwest coast.

Twenty Sri Lankans, including at least one baby, were on board.

They were detained for a few days on Christmas Island before being flown to Colombo on a government charter jet after their asylum claims were rejected.

Sri Lankans are intercepted by the Australian navy, before being brought to Christmas Island then deported back to Colombo by plane.

Meanwhile, a war of words has erupted between Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and Labor’s new spokeswoman Kristina Keneally on refugee policies.

Senator Keneally has rejected government suggestions she’ll be soft on asylum seekers, saying the party continued to back offshore processing and boat turnbacks.

The Opposition is reviewing its policies after its disappointing federal election loss. However, Senator Keneally said Labor’s stance on border protection wouldn’t change.

But the NSW senator, who was handed the role on Sunday, did say the portfolio required a balance between keeping Australia’s borders secure and treating people humanely.

“Keeping people safe but also not losing our collective national soul, not losing our collective national conscience,” she told ABC radio’s AM program today.

“Offshore processing, boat turnbacks where safe to do so and regional resettlement are important tools. They are necessary tools to keep our borders secure, to keep our country safe and to ensure that we are treating people humanely.”

Mr Dutton was quick out of the gate yesterday to criticise the appointment of Senator Keneally as his shadow, saying she was the least qualified Labor MP for the job.

He accused her of being opposed to the government’s Operation Sovereign Borders, saying Labor was “soft” on border protection.

Senator Keneally plans to hold a “blow torch” to Mr Dutton’s performance.

“Peter Dutton only has one setting and that’s attack,” she said.

“Right now he’s attacking me because he knows that his department is a mess.”

Labor leader Anthony Albanese said a record number of people had applied for protection visas under Mr Dutton’s tenure.

“Not on the former Labor government’s watch, on Peter Dutton’s watch,” he told reporters in Launceston today.

“Have a look at the figures; they’re coming by plane, they’re in record numbers and they’re applying here.

“Border security is about more than what happens around our coast, it’s also about what is happening in the entire system.”

Immigration Minister David Coleman said 95 per cent of people who claimed asylum after arriving by plane in Australia were rejected and had to return to their home countries.

“It’s one thing to claim asylum, it’s another to actually be successful,” he told Sky News.

“The other point, of course, on plane arrivals is the people who arrive in that way have done so lawfully, with a valid visa, and they have not risked their lives and frankly they haven’t put at risk the lives of Australian Border Force officers.”
Labor is also urging the Coalition government to find third countries to resettle asylum seekers, saying people can’t be left in offshore detention indefinitely.

A resettlement offer from New Zealand remains open.