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| Boat carrying alleged people smugglers and Chinese men landed on Queensland island | Boat carrying alleged people smugglers and Chinese men landed on Queensland island |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| Julie Bishop denies boat arrival part of new wave of asylum seekers after two of the men charged with people smuggling | |
| Ben Doherty | |
| Wed 30 Aug 2017 03.55 BST | |
| First published on Tue 29 Aug 2017 23.48 BST | |
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| A boat carrying six Chinese men and an alleged Papua New Guinean people smuggler made it to Australian land this month. | A boat carrying six Chinese men and an alleged Papua New Guinean people smuggler made it to Australian land this month. |
| The boat landed on the low-lying north Queensland island of Saibai, 4km from the PNG coast and about 150km north of the tip of Cape York, on 20 August. Saibai is home to about 300 people. | The boat landed on the low-lying north Queensland island of Saibai, 4km from the PNG coast and about 150km north of the tip of Cape York, on 20 August. Saibai is home to about 300 people. |
| One of the Chinese men, and the Papua New Guinean, were arrested and charged with people smuggling. They appeared in a Queensland court and have been remanded in custody. | One of the Chinese men, and the Papua New Guinean, were arrested and charged with people smuggling. They appeared in a Queensland court and have been remanded in custody. |
| The other five Chinese men have been sent back to mainland China. It is unclear whether they made, or were allowed to make, a formal claim for asylum. It is also unknown what has happened to them on return. | The other five Chinese men have been sent back to mainland China. It is unclear whether they made, or were allowed to make, a formal claim for asylum. It is also unknown what has happened to them on return. |
| The PNG newspaper the National named the alleged PNG people smuggler as Kolony Bama, 55, from Mabudauan village in the South Fly district of Western Province. It reported he had appeared before the Thursday Island district court on one charge of aggravated people-smuggling. | The PNG newspaper the National named the alleged PNG people smuggler as Kolony Bama, 55, from Mabudauan village in the South Fly district of Western Province. It reported he had appeared before the Thursday Island district court on one charge of aggravated people-smuggling. |
| The last boat to make Australian landfall was in May last year, when a group of 12 Sri Lankan asylum seekers piloted a fishing boat into the lagoon at the Cocos Islands. That group were taken onshore, before being flown back to Sri Lanka. They were arrested upon return to Sri Lanka. | The last boat to make Australian landfall was in May last year, when a group of 12 Sri Lankan asylum seekers piloted a fishing boat into the lagoon at the Cocos Islands. That group were taken onshore, before being flown back to Sri Lanka. They were arrested upon return to Sri Lanka. |
| Vietnamese asylum seekers intercepted by Australian authorities at sea have also been returned to their country of origin, where they have been arrested and jailed, in some cases despite written assurances they would not face prosecution or punishment. | Vietnamese asylum seekers intercepted by Australian authorities at sea have also been returned to their country of origin, where they have been arrested and jailed, in some cases despite written assurances they would not face prosecution or punishment. |
| Operation Sovereign Borders, since it was introduced in 2013, has turned around more than 30 boats, carrying more than 770 asylum seekers. Some of those boats have been intercepted inside Australia’s maritime zone, others in international waters. | Operation Sovereign Borders, since it was introduced in 2013, has turned around more than 30 boats, carrying more than 770 asylum seekers. Some of those boats have been intercepted inside Australia’s maritime zone, others in international waters. |
| The foreign affairs minister, Julie Bishop, confirmed the latest boat’s arrival Wednesday morning. “I understand that they are before the court,” Bishop told the Nine Network. “We have very good border security strategies in place and these people were detected.” | The foreign affairs minister, Julie Bishop, confirmed the latest boat’s arrival Wednesday morning. “I understand that they are before the court,” Bishop told the Nine Network. “We have very good border security strategies in place and these people were detected.” |
| Bishop denied the latest boat arrival represented a new wave of asylum seekers. | Bishop denied the latest boat arrival represented a new wave of asylum seekers. |
| Fiona Pemberton, an Australian Border Force inspector based on Thursday Island, said patrols of the Torres Strait – which have been occurring for 20 years – involved officers from the ABF, Queensland police, Australian federal police and the PNG government. | Fiona Pemberton, an Australian Border Force inspector based on Thursday Island, said patrols of the Torres Strait – which have been occurring for 20 years – involved officers from the ABF, Queensland police, Australian federal police and the PNG government. |
| “The ABF is forever vigilant in its shared responsibility to protect the Australian community from various risks and to stamp out any illegal activity,” Pemberton said. “The Torres Strait region is large and unique, and our message to the community is we are here, we are patrolling and we are responding. | “The ABF is forever vigilant in its shared responsibility to protect the Australian community from various risks and to stamp out any illegal activity,” Pemberton said. “The Torres Strait region is large and unique, and our message to the community is we are here, we are patrolling and we are responding. |
| “Our response to any illegal activity is both multi-agency and multi-country, as we benefit from a very close working relationship with our PNG counterparts.” | “Our response to any illegal activity is both multi-agency and multi-country, as we benefit from a very close working relationship with our PNG counterparts.” |
| Australian immigration and asylum | |
| Australian politics | |
| Julie Bishop | |
| Coalition | |
| Liberal party | |
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