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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Scott Morrison dismisses claims navy entered Indonesian waters deliberately | Scott Morrison dismisses claims navy entered Indonesian waters deliberately |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Morrison | Morrison |
| said he “of course” knew how many times the Australian navy had made | said he “of course” knew how many times the Australian navy had made |
| incursions into Indonesian waters but refused to specify the number and | incursions into Indonesian waters but refused to specify the number and |
| said Australia would try to allay Indonesia suspicions that the | said Australia would try to allay Indonesia suspicions that the |
| incursions were intentional by sharing the government report into the | incursions were intentional by sharing the government report into the |
| matter. | matter. |
| When asked if he could easily dismiss the report from the Indonesian navy he replied: “Well, yes, because I know the facts”. | When asked if he could easily dismiss the report from the Indonesian navy he replied: “Well, yes, because I know the facts”. |
| Indonesia | Indonesia |
| is also angry about the Australian navy’s use of lifeboats to transfer | is also angry about the Australian navy’s use of lifeboats to transfer |
| asylum seekers back to Indonesia and though Morrison would not confirm | asylum seekers back to Indonesia and though Morrison would not confirm |
| the use of lifeboats he said the Jakarta was entitled to its opinions. | the use of lifeboats he said the Jakarta was entitled to its opinions. |
| “The | “The |
| Australian government is doing exactly what we said we would do before | Australian government is doing exactly what we said we would do before |
| the last election and I don’t think we could have been any clearer about | the last election and I don’t think we could have been any clearer about |
| what our policies are. This has obviously been complicated by issues | what our policies are. This has obviously been complicated by issues |
| beyond the government’s control regarding the Snowden issues that have | beyond the government’s control regarding the Snowden issues that have |
| been around during this period of time,” he said. | been around during this period of time,” he said. |
| “...It’s | “...It’s |
| the Australian government’s responsibility to do ensure that we do what | the Australian government’s responsibility to do ensure that we do what |
| we need to do on our borders lawfully as we are. Any vessel seeking to | we need to do on our borders lawfully as we are. Any vessel seeking to |
| enter Australian waters illegally will be intercepted and will be | enter Australian waters illegally will be intercepted and will be |
| removed.” | removed.” |
| An | An |
| Indonesian navy report found the incursions may have been intentional, | Indonesian navy report found the incursions may have been intentional, |
| Guardian Australia revealed on Friday, but Morrison dismissed the | Guardian Australia revealed on Friday, but Morrison dismissed the |
| findings. | findings. |
| “Well that’s false,” he said. | “Well that’s false,” he said. |
| “It | “It |
| wasn’t intentional at all. A very comprehensive review of these matters | wasn’t intentional at all. A very comprehensive review of these matters |
| has been conducted and it will be in the report released.” | has been conducted and it will be in the report released.” |
| The | The |
| review is being carried out by Customs and Border Protects and the | review is being carried out by Customs and Border Protects and the |
| defence force and an unclassified version may be made public. | defence force and an unclassified version may be made public. |
| Morrison said Australia’s navy chief had contacted his Indonesian counterpart as soon as the incursion had happened. | |
| “It was inadvertent, it was contrary to the government’s policy and a thorough report and review has been conducted,” he said. | “It was inadvertent, it was contrary to the government’s policy and a thorough report and review has been conducted,” he said. |
| The | The |
| Indonesian report also included the contentious photos of asylum | Indonesian report also included the contentious photos of asylum |
| seekers’ burnt hands and stated they were received from Australian navy | seekers’ burnt hands and stated they were received from Australian navy |
| officers forcing them to hold burning pipes. | officers forcing them to hold burning pipes. |
| When | When |
| asked if he was concerned about the Indonesian navy report making such | asked if he was concerned about the Indonesian navy report making such |
| an assertion Morrison replied: “Constantly repeating these claims, | an assertion Morrison replied: “Constantly repeating these claims, |
| whether it’s citing that report or citing other things on the ABC | whether it’s citing that report or citing other things on the ABC |
| doesn’t make the claims any more true than when the day you first | doesn’t make the claims any more true than when the day you first |
| reported them, there is no substantiation to the claims, there never has | reported them, there is no substantiation to the claims, there never has |
| been.” | been.” |
| Morrison | Morrison |
| and General Angus Campbell, the head of the operation to stop the | and General Angus Campbell, the head of the operation to stop the |
| boats, were assured that the claims were not true, he said, and that and | |
| there was nothing to warrant any further review. | there was nothing to warrant any further review. |
| Meanwhile, Morrison has dismissed threats by Indonesia that the country will raise concerns about Australia’s border protection policy with US secretary of state John Kerry, who has arrived in Jakarta on a visit to highlight US concerns about climate change. Kerry plans to hold talks with senior Indonesian leaders, including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. | |
| Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa has told reporters the issue of Australian border policy will also be discussed after people lashed out at the use of lifeboats to send people back into Indonesian waters. | |
| “There is no need to ask; we only need to inform it and let America draw its own conclusion,” he said, according reports. | |
| Asked about Indonesian plans to involve the US in the stoush over border protection, Morrison said: “They’re welcome to do that.” |