Asylum arrival day after trafficking conference
Updated
This is the sixth boat of asylum seekers intercepted by Australian authorities this year, coming just a day after Australian ministers were in Bali at a conference aimed at combatting human trafficking.
Presenter: Michael Cavanagh in Canberra
Speaker: Alan du Toit, Australia's Border Protection Commander, Bob Debus, Australia's Home Affairs Minister; Dr Rachel Bloul, Australian National University
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MICHAEL CAVANAGH: There were 49 Afghanis on the boat when the explosion occurred. Also on board were several Australian naval personnel, after the vessel had been intercepted and was being escorted to land for processing. Initial reports had someone spreading petrol and then igniting it, causing an explosion. The speculation over what had occurred and the Navy's caution in elaborating led to a heated exchange between the media and the border protection commander, Alan du Toit.
ALAN DU TOIT: What you need to understand, this is an ongoing operation - could you let me please finish saying what I was saying? This is an ongoing incident, we are deliberately not trying to micro-manage the on-scene commander, who has a great responsibility on his hands at this stage to rescue people.
MICHAEL CAVANAGH: The sensitivity by authorities and heated questioning by the media comes as some members of the conservative Opposition claim that the Labor Government's softening of its stance against asylum seekers is encouraging people-smugglers. The hardline attitude held by the previous government, under former prime minister John Howard, was an emotional issue during several election campaigns. The minister responsible now for border protection, Bob Debus, was not going to be drawn down that path.
BOB DEBUS: The last time people tried to make politics out of an incident like this we had a most unpleasant circumstance in Australian national life, which affected us for some time thereafter. This is certainly not the time to be making that kind of accusation, making that kind of speculation. What we should be focused on is the safety of life at sea. We can have those kinds of debates at another time. But I do assure you that the Rudd Government is not going to be playing politics about these kinds of incidents. We are going to give you the truth; we are going to report to you accurately what is going on.
MICHAEL CAVANAGH: Despite claims by some of the so-called surge in people-smuggling, Dr Rachel Bloul from the Australian National University disputes this. Dr Bloul, who researches the issue of people trafficking, says it's likely that the countries from where the people have come from have been forced out by a rise in violence.
DR RACHEL BLOUL: I don't think there is as much specialised traffic in Australia itself simply because, well, in terms of people, it is a small country. There is not the market to support very, very specialised traffic of illegal migrants such as sex-trafficking and black work in factories and that kind of things. Those things exist, but it's not big in Australia.
