This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/08/lifeboat-plan-to-ship-asylum-seekers-back-to-indonesia-reports

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Lifeboat plan to ship asylum seekers back to Indonesia: reports Lifeboat plan to ship asylum seekers back to Indonesia: reports
(about 2 hours later)
The federal government is reportedly planning to buy lifeboats to send asylum seekers back to Indonesia if their own vessel is unseaworthy, in a new iteration of their “turn back the boats” policy.The federal government is reportedly planning to buy lifeboats to send asylum seekers back to Indonesia if their own vessel is unseaworthy, in a new iteration of their “turn back the boats” policy.
The Coalition government is purchasing 16 lifeboats, similar to those found on oil tankers and cruise ships, Fairfax media reports. Asylum seekers intercepted by Australian authorities could be transferred into a lifeboat if their own vessel is deemed unsafe, and sent back towards Indonesian waters.The Coalition government is purchasing 16 lifeboats, similar to those found on oil tankers and cruise ships, Fairfax media reports. Asylum seekers intercepted by Australian authorities could be transferred into a lifeboat if their own vessel is deemed unsafe, and sent back towards Indonesian waters.
The lifeboats are hard-hulled vessels with a roof, capacity for dozens of passengers and a week’s worth of supplies.The lifeboats are hard-hulled vessels with a roof, capacity for dozens of passengers and a week’s worth of supplies.
There are reports from Indonesia that Australian authorities have turned asylum-seeker vessels back to Indonesian waters in the past month. ABC reported two boats were found run aground on the island of Rote in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara region.There are reports from Indonesia that Australian authorities have turned asylum-seeker vessels back to Indonesian waters in the past month. ABC reported two boats were found run aground on the island of Rote in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara region.
At least one turnback was confirmed by a defence source to be conducted by HMAS Stuart, Fairfax media reported on Wednesday.At least one turnback was confirmed by a defence source to be conducted by HMAS Stuart, Fairfax media reported on Wednesday.
The immigration minister, Scott Morrison, has refused to confirm or deny the reports of the lifeboat purchase, giving Guardian Australia the oft-used reason that the government does not comment on operational matters.The immigration minister, Scott Morrison, has refused to confirm or deny the reports of the lifeboat purchase, giving Guardian Australia the oft-used reason that the government does not comment on operational matters.
“People smugglers have used official commentary on such matters to make dangerous assumptions about our maritime operations, which puts people at risk,” he said.“People smugglers have used official commentary on such matters to make dangerous assumptions about our maritime operations, which puts people at risk,” he said.
“The government's policy of no public comment on operational matters is based on the advice of border protection agency and operational leaders to protect the security of our operations and to ensure that they can be conducted with maximum safety and effectiveness for all involved.”“The government's policy of no public comment on operational matters is based on the advice of border protection agency and operational leaders to protect the security of our operations and to ensure that they can be conducted with maximum safety and effectiveness for all involved.”
Labor's acting immigration spokesman, Mark Dreyfus, told ABC Radio Australians are being left to guess what is being done in their name by the government.Labor's acting immigration spokesman, Mark Dreyfus, told ABC Radio Australians are being left to guess what is being done in their name by the government.
"The minister and the prime minister are not wanting to explain to Australians what's going on because that would make clear just how disastrous the impact this is having on our relationship with Indonesia," he said."The minister and the prime minister are not wanting to explain to Australians what's going on because that would make clear just how disastrous the impact this is having on our relationship with Indonesia," he said.
"[Australians] shouldn't have to read about it in the Jakarta Post or to be told by Indonesian authorities what our government and what our navy is being asked to do.""[Australians] shouldn't have to read about it in the Jakarta Post or to be told by Indonesian authorities what our government and what our navy is being asked to do."
The Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese said the government must be more open about its asylum-seeker operations, given the need for transparency and accountability in a democracy.
"This is not North Korea; this is not a Stalinist regime. The government needs to get its act together and tell the Australian people what's going on because it's being done, after all, in the Australian people's name," he said.
The Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said reports the government was buying the lifeboats showed its asylum-seeker policy had failed.The Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said reports the government was buying the lifeboats showed its asylum-seeker policy had failed.
"I think this just shows what tatters Scott Morrison and Tony Abbott's policy is in," Hanson-Young told ABC Radio on Wednesday. "First we heard they were going to stop the boats, then they said we'll buy back the boats, now they're going to start giving away boats."I think this just shows what tatters Scott Morrison and Tony Abbott's policy is in," Hanson-Young told ABC Radio on Wednesday. "First we heard they were going to stop the boats, then they said we'll buy back the boats, now they're going to start giving away boats.
"The fact is this government is obsessed with doing everything they can to push refugees out of sight, out of mind rather then helping them.""The fact is this government is obsessed with doing everything they can to push refugees out of sight, out of mind rather then helping them."
She said the Abbott government was "more concerned about their media strategy than they are about refugees”. "The boats are coming they're just simply being hidden, they're not being spoken about," the senator said.She said the Abbott government was "more concerned about their media strategy than they are about refugees”. "The boats are coming they're just simply being hidden, they're not being spoken about," the senator said.
The senator also said the lifeboat plan would further strain Australia's relationship with Indonesia. "You've got to wonder: is Tony Abbott just prepared to call the Indonesians' bluff? If that's the case, I don't think he's playing with the full deck," she said.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.