OSB stops 11 asylum seeker boats, as illegal fishing surges

New Operation Sovereign Borders commander Brett Sonter has warned people smugglers that Australia’s borders are closed ‘under my watch’.

Australian Border Force officials intercepting and turning around an asylum seeker boat with 29 Sri Lankans on board. Picture: Supplied

New Operation Sovereign Borders commander Brett Sonter has warned people smugglers that Australia’s maritime borders are closed “under my watch”, as he revealed OSB patrols have intercepted 11 asylum seeker ventures since 2022.

Rear Admiral Sonter, who replaced Justin Jones last month, said the first asylum seeker boat to reach mainland Australia in years on November 22 was a “clear reminder that criminal people smugglers continue to sell false hope”.

In his opening statement to Senate estimates, Rear Admiral Sonter described as false the “deceptive narrative” promoted by people smugglers that Australia’s border protection policies have changed.

“People smugglers continue to exploit and misrepresent real or perceived changes to Australia’s migration settings as part of their marketing narratives to convince potential irregular immigrants that now is the time to travel to Australia irregularly by boat,” Rear Admiral Sonter said.

“Operation Sovereign Borders remains in place, and anyone who attempts to migrate to Australia irregularly by boat will not settle here.

“A key pillar of the Operation Sovereign Borders model is to deter people from joining maritime people smuggling ventures before they embark, and to ensure people considering irregular migration pathways are aware of the dangers and risks of undertaking these journeys.”

After 12 unauthorised maritime arrivals were apprehended on an isolated stretch of the Western Australia Kimberley coastline in November, The Australian revealed OSB and Australian Border Force were on high alert for more people smuggling ventures.

OSB ramped-up communications campaigns and operations across South-East Asia following the High Court ruling that asylum seekers without prospect of being settled elsewhere – including high-risk offenders – can no longer be held in indefinite detention.

Rear Admiral Sonter, who has released a video warning people smugglers and asylum seekers to not travel to Australia, said 1055 Australian Defence Force and ABF personnel were currently working under OSB and Maritime Border Command, including 646 at sea.

“These personnel are dedicated to protecting the integrity of Australia’s borders, and while the work they do is not often visible, it is always underway: 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” he said.

“Irregular maritime pathways to settlement in Australia remain closed. This will not change under my watch.”

Rear Admiral Sonter said OSB and Maritime Border Command were forced to increase enforcement and surveillance activity in response to a surge in illegal foreign fishing in Australian waters.

“Of course, criminal people smugglers are not the only threat to the integrity of Australia’s territorial waters. Last year, Maritime Border Command and the Australian Border Force surged to uplift enforcement and surveillance activity in response to increased illegal foreign fishing in Australia’s maritime domain.”

“This action has delivered effective disruption outcomes while ensuring that these fishing incursions do not impact our capacity to detect and intercept maritime people smuggling vessels.”

The 12 asylum seekers who arrived in WA last November were apprehended by ABF officers and flown to Nauru within 41-hours. The group was the second cohort to be sent to Nauru after 11 asylum-seekers were intercepted at sea in September and transferred to the Pacific Island. Before that, Australia had not sent any asylum-seekers to Nauru for nine years.