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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/07/scott-morrison-tight-lipped-on-turnback-of-asylum-seeker-boat

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Scott Morrison refuses to confirm turnback of asylum seeker boat Scott Morrison refuses to confirm turnback of asylum seeker boat
(about 3 hours later)
Immigration and border protection minister Scott Morrison will not confirm or deny reports that the Australian navy has turned a boat carrying asylum seekers back towards Indonesia.Immigration and border protection minister Scott Morrison will not confirm or deny reports that the Australian navy has turned a boat carrying asylum seekers back towards Indonesia.
The Jakarta Post and other Indonesian news outlets report that a boat carrying 45 people, including asylum seekers from Africa and the Middle East, was forced back before entering Australian waters and was eventually stranded after running out of fuel.The Jakarta Post and other Indonesian news outlets report that a boat carrying 45 people, including asylum seekers from Africa and the Middle East, was forced back before entering Australian waters and was eventually stranded after running out of fuel.
But Morrison said in a statement that he would not “disclose, confirm or otherwise comment on reports of on-water activities”.But Morrison said in a statement that he would not “disclose, confirm or otherwise comment on reports of on-water activities”.
Morrison added that it was not Australia’s policy to “violate Indonesian territorial sovereignty”.Morrison added that it was not Australia’s policy to “violate Indonesian territorial sovereignty”.
“Any suggestion to the contrary is false,” he said.“Any suggestion to the contrary is false,” he said.
The ABC reports that the boat set sail for Australia from the Indonesian province of South Sulawesi on 8 December and was forced back to Indonesian waters by the Australian navy on 13 December. The boat then allegedly ran out of fuel and washed up on Rote Island, with those on board arrested by the police.The ABC reports that the boat set sail for Australia from the Indonesian province of South Sulawesi on 8 December and was forced back to Indonesian waters by the Australian navy on 13 December. The boat then allegedly ran out of fuel and washed up on Rote Island, with those on board arrested by the police.
Reports suggest the asylum seekers were given life jackets by the Australian navy.Reports suggest the asylum seekers were given life jackets by the Australian navy.
Local police commissioner Rote Ndao Hidayat was quoted by Indonesian newspaper Tempo as saying: “The illegal immigrants [sic] that enter Australian waters pushed back to Indonesian waters."Local police commissioner Rote Ndao Hidayat was quoted by Indonesian newspaper Tempo as saying: “The illegal immigrants [sic] that enter Australian waters pushed back to Indonesian waters."
The Jakarta Post reported that all asylum seekers on the boat had been taken into custody.The Jakarta Post reported that all asylum seekers on the boat had been taken into custody.
Relations between Indonesia and Australia are already fraught after the Indonesian president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, officially downgraded diplomatic relations – including all co-operation on people smuggling, following Guardian Australia and the ABC’s revelations that Australian spying authorities had targeted the mobile phone of the president and his inner circle.
Morrison had previously tried to turn back asylum seekers bound for Australia but eventually backed down after Indonesia refused to accept them.
The controversial policy of turning boats back “when safe to do so” has been criticised by numerous Indonesian politicians as a potential breach of sovereignty.
Morrison’s decision not to discuss so-called “on-water matters” have drawn severe criticism from both the Labor party and the Greens.Morrison’s decision not to discuss so-called “on-water matters” have drawn severe criticism from both the Labor party and the Greens.
The Greens immigration spokeswoman, Sarah Hanson-Young, accused the government of holding back information on the alleged incident.
““The government, Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison, need to be very clear with the truth in relation to this incident. Towbacks, turnbacks are risky, they’re dangerous and they’re illegal,” she said.
“It’s simply not good enough for the Australian people to be shut out of knowing what is going on on our high seas when the lives of our brave men and women are put at risk with these dangerous operations and we have the prime minister and the immigration minister being so arrogant as to not be upfront as to what happened.
“It’s simply not good enough for the Australian public to hear about these incidents via the Indonesian media.”
In November the Greens moved a successful order for the production of documents for all “on-water” operation matters, but Morrison failed to table the documents, instead producing a binder full of press conference transcripts and media releases.
Morrison’s media strategy since he assumed office in September last year has been heavily criticised. In the last Operation Sovereign Borders press conference in December, 23 questions from journalists were redacted in the official transcript as “inaudible”.
Morrison has also failed to confirm if the weekly operational briefings he provided to the press will continue in 2014.
In October last year Morrison said that Coalition had “never had” a policy of towing back boats, despite Liberal politicians discussing the policy in numerous instances in the past.In October last year Morrison said that Coalition had “never had” a policy of towing back boats, despite Liberal politicians discussing the policy in numerous instances in the past.
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