April 7, 2024
Suspected Chinese boat arrivals have been taken to Nauru’s detention centre for processing after they reached the mainland, generating fresh controversy for the Albanese government on border protection.
The 15 people arrived off a remote part of the Kimberley coastline and walked into the Truscott air force base on Friday. Western Australian Police said on Sunday they found a man in relatively good health who had earlier been separated from the group.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said while Australia had a large coastline, “what is clear though is people who are unauthorised arrivals won’t be settled in Australia”.
“There is no change to Operation Sovereign Borders. It is important that that message be sent and once again through the response of the Australian government, that message will be sent very clearly again to the region,” he said.
The boat is the third to reach the mainland in the past five months, with people smugglers appearing to change their tactics and use high-speed boats to evade detection and deliver groups to the mainland..
Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson said it was the 13th boat since Labor’s election in May 2022 that had attempted the risky voyage to Australia.
“And it is no surprise why: aerial surveillance hours under this government’s watch have dropped 20 per cent. Maritime patrols days have dropped 4 per cent and the result of that is people are getting through,” Senator Paterson said.
The arrival comes as the government tries to convince the Coalition to back new laws that make it easier to deport failed asylum seekers who refuse to leave.
