Navy intercepts two suspected asylum seeker boats
June 18, 2010 5:00PM
TWO suspected asylum seeker boats have been intercepted off northwest Western Australia.
Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor said patrol boat HMAS Armidale, operating under the control of Border Protection Command, intercepted a vessel west of the Lacepede Islands.
The vessel was initially identified by a Dash 8 surveillance aircraft. Initial indications suggested it carried 26 passengers.
Mr O'Connor said patrol boat HMAS Wollongong, also operating under the control of Border Protection Command, intercepted the second vessel northwest of Christmas Island.
Initial indications suggest 48 passengers were on board.
Mr O'Connor said both groups would be transferred to Christmas Island for security, identity and health checks and determination of their reasons for travel.
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``While their nationalities are yet to be confirmed, if these asylum seekers are Sri Lankans or Afghans, the processing suspension introduced by the government on April 9, 2010 will apply,'' he said in a statement.
Boat intercepted carrying 51
June 23, 2010 3:01PM
A BOAT carrying 51 suspected asylum seekers has been intercepted off Christmas Island.
It was stopped this morning (AEST) north-west of Flying Fish Cove, Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor said.
There are believed to be 51 passengers aboard, plus two crew members who have all been taken to Christmas Island for the usual identity, security and health checks.
The nationality of the asylum seekers has yet to be confirmed.
If they were Sri Lankan or Afghan their claims would not be processed under the Government's temporary suspension, Mr O'Connor said.
Asylum boat arrives undetected
NICK BUTTERLY CANBERRA,
June 23, 2010, 11:11 am
Border security agencies have been left red-faced again after another boat carrying asylum seekers managed to sail almost all the way into Christmas Island’s harbour without being detected.
Customs and the Navy scrambled into action this morning after a boat carrying about 50 people appeared just outside Flying Fish Cove – the main port of the island.
The boat is the latest in a series to arrive on the island without being spotted by Border Protection Command. It is the 72nd boat to be picked up in Australian waters this year.
Last month the Government was embarrassed when it claimed a boat had been "successfully intercepted" by Border Protection Command, only to have The West Australian reveal authorities only caught up with the vessel when it bumped into Flying Fish Cove jetty.
The Rudd Government is under increasing pressure in the polls over the issue of boat people and border security, with the Opposition claiming it was Labor's re-write of the rules surrounding protection for refugees that sparked this new flood of asylum seekers to Australia.
The Government recently imposed a ban on the processing of asylum visas for boat people from Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, claiming conditions had changed in both countries that might mean they should no longer be given protection in Australia. Most boat people coming to Australia are from Sri Lanka or Afghanistan.
The Opposition says the visa ban is an attempt by the Government to stem the flow of asylum seekers ahead of the coming Federal election.
The Government is due to review the three-month ban on the processing of visas for Sri Lankans in the next few weeks, with some observers suggesting Labor will likely extend that ban.
The Government has imposed a six-month ban on the processing of visas for boat people from Afghanistan.
1st one for Julia..and a big one too!
Asylum boat carrying 99 located off Christmas Island
June 26, 2010 6:30PM
AN asylum boat believed to be carrying 96 passengers and three crew has been intercepted off the North West coast of WA.
HMAS Wollongong, operating under the control of Border Protection Command, intercepted the vessel east of Christmas Island this morning.
The boat was initially identified by an RAAF AP-3C Orion aircraft, operating under the control of Border Protection Command.
Due to high seas and poor visibility, HMAS Wollongong escorted the boat to a calmer location near Christmas Island for boarding.
Initial indications are that 96 passengers and three crew are on board.
The group has been transferred to Christmas Island where they will undergo security, identity and health checks and their reasons for travel will be established.
While their nationality is yet to be confirmed, if these asylum seekers are Sri Lankans or Afghans, the processing suspension introduced by the Government on 9 April 2010 will apply.
"Due to high seas and poor visibility, HMAS Wollongong escorted the boat to a calmer location near Christmas Island for boarding."
High seas use to stop them during the dry season up north..this is what I have been waiting for, the succession of boats to slow down,...but obviously not any more.
ooooOOoooohh. They'll be sorry.
I think Julia would have a bit of a temper if they cause her any trouble. (she's a red head and all red heads have fierce tempers. I'm sure it's a scientific fact! well it might be. isn't it?) 
Lucky there's 96 of them. They might be able to hold their own. 
Asylum seeker boat calls 000
Updated 2 hours 54 minutes ago
A boat carrying 73 suspected asylum seekers has made a 000 emergency call off Christmas Island.
Police in Perth say the call was made late last night.
There are 77 people on board the boat; 73 are understood to be Afghan asylum seekers and the other four are crew members.
A person on the boat used a mobile phone to make the 000 call to alert authorities to the fact they had arrived in Australian waters.
The navy patrol vessel HMAS Wollongong intercepted the boat about 12 nautical miles off Christmas Island.
It is understood those on board will be taken to Christmas Island for processing.
It is the 74th boat carrying asylum seekers to arrive in Australian waters this year.
Said it before and say it again, we are being played for a bunch of suckers.
Our high morals are being played against us once more.
"If the one hard commitment Gillard made proceeds, it will be hideously expensive. The Pacific Solution was estimated to have cost around $1b over five years. The Dili version won't be any cheaper. We're also forking out for eight new patrol boats to guard our north-western and northern waters.
Taxpayers will be wasting hundreds of millions of dollars on several thousand asylum seekers, to assuage the xenophobic instincts of a few swinging voters in marginal electorates.
From: www.crikey.com.au/2010/07/06/the-growing-cost-of-unedifying-asylum-seeker-policy/
Thanks xenophobic swinging marginals. Thanks a lot.
So have I got this right, 
The "Internal" people (purple) don't need passports and visa's because they were born in Australia.
The "External Net permanent migration" (blue) have passports and visa's because they came to Australia via legitimate means and waited their turn.
The "humanitarian" people (green) have come to Australia for various reasons and were verified of their identity.
The "Boat" people (red) have thrown away their passports and visa's during their travel through MANY safe countries before the arrival in Australia so their identities can remain false or anonymous, So why don't they want their identities not to be known, why?
If they have money to pay to get on the small fishing boats why don't they take a commercial flight and fly? Oh that means they would need to be honest and declare who they are!!!
You seem to have that one right wheelnut.
The que jumping "$12,000 to $15,000 per passage" illegal boat arrival people are probably the least deserving of our empathy and charity.
How any genuine refugee in a UN refugee camp could raise that sort of money is highly questionable. Then to arrive without identification of any kind makes it even more questionable.
Being resident in a UN refugee camp suggests safety from political persecution from without but not necessarily safe from criminal persecution from within.
If either is the case, how dare the UN make any suggestions as to how Australia should treat illegal boat arrivals.
We are a sovereign nation and that is to be kept sacrosanct as it is for all nations.
The UN is trying to reduce all nations to the lowest common denominator rather than raise the bar.
The East Timor proposal is a farce and will benfit none but the greedy and criminal people.
Very simple solution to the multi billion dollar problem. Shut down the Christmas Island facility. This will make it necessary for illegal boat arrivals have to happen on the Australian mainland. Then let it be known that the que jumpers will be immediatly repatriated the their declared country of origin and do it.
We have a humanitarian immigration policy in this country which no doubt is world's best practice. Get rid of political correctness and let it be known that those that want by pass the process will get no truck, boi truck, taxi or any sort of ride except for a plane trip back to where they say they came from.
My son recently moved to USA and just to get his "Green card" and a job he had to provide SO MUCH info on himself, his parents, his wife and her parents. Then sit through many interviews and this is just to work in the US.
If Australia went through similar checks on ALL incoming people it would certainly reduce the immigration into the country.
The point I was endeavouring to make "Poor Relative" is that my son like you I assume and others who are legitimate immigrants there is a process, no Queue jumping, no trips paid by the taxpayer of the respective country to the movies, The Aquarium, motels etc. In the case of my son he had to be able to be self funded until all the processes had been completed at the normal Government speed (slow). No Government supplied accommodation, food, health care anything all of this came from his pocket.
Not sure what the weather was like in your neck of the woods but in Adelaide it was very windy and stormy last night. The homeless would have had it very tough, the charities cant help all but the "Boat People" enjoy a roof over their heads, warm blankets and food etc at the Taxpayers expense. I think the Government should hang its respective heads in shame their priorities just don't make sense. Help Australians in need first before supporting individuals/groups who cant follow the rules.
Gizmo. If your son had trouble getting paper work together it seem fair to assume that the task would be even harder if you were avoiding getting your family shot or bombed at the same time. i'm pretty sure my paperwork wouldn't be up to date. it may be a little hard to get that second copy signed by the JP before the mall closed for your son but hey, i think they got it tougher in Afghanistan for eg.
Wheelnut.....
Which airport would you catch a commercial flight from?
This one perhaps.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/6154280/Taliban-suicide-bomber-in-attack-at-Afghan-airport.html
Taliban suicide bomber in attack at Afghan airport
A Taliban suicide car bomber detonated his explosives outside a NATO military base at the international airport in the Afghan capital, Kabul, killing at least one civilian, officials said on Tuesday.
(last sept)
or maybe the one just outside the city, you know, just a couple of blocks past this guy.
article.wn.com/view/2010/01/18/Taliban_militants_attack_Afghan_capital_12_killed_7/
(Jan this year)
Smedg.......at no stage did I say or imply my son had trouble getting his paperwork in order quite the contrary he did what all potential legal immigrants do he followed the correct legal process. He was interviewed on multiple occasions asked for extensive background information eg Mother/Father birth dates, occupations, addresses, previous work history amongst other info. All of which was checked if to be true and correct, it was. He got his green card and is working...legal immigrant.
Even in the most dire situation we can all supply that sort of information to be checked if not being able to access paperwork for some reason. A 'boat person' throwing their paperwork overboard prior to arriving in Australia then refusing to supply accurate truthful background information of themselves appear to have something to hide in my opinion.
I'm not suggesting that legitimate refugees are not deserving our help but lets make sure that they are in fact genuine.
I used to work with a lady who was one of the Vietnamese boat people. Li had come to Australia on a leaky boat as a youngster way back then with her family escaping the North Vietnamese. She is now an Australian citizen, a mum, hardworking, honest, etc.
Anyway, that's not the point.
The point is that at work the management decided we all had to get security clearances to enable us to do work for the federal government. It's pretty mundane work but to get the clearance you need to supply LOTS of paperwork - original birth certificates, complete originals of all passports, details of all clubs and affiliations etc, etc. Li couldn't supply a birth certificate or a Vietnamese passport or any papers prior to coming to Australia. She got pretty stroppy about it because management was pressuring her to get the clearance and she couldn't supply the paperwork to do that. She said to me one day "we were running for our lives! We didn't have time to worry about getting our papers!"
True story. Don't think she ever did get the clearance.
On the other hand, another workmate Len who was from Russia got it without a hitch. He couldn't believe it! Among the info he listed was his previous membership of the Russian Communist party (as he said, you didn't get a job if you weren't...), passport and everything.
Why are you worried about Boat People cisco.
50,00 people are here illegally already circumventing protocols rules policies etc - they are not even at risk of persecution in their home countries.
why are you dis-passionate about them and passionate about 4000 odd who are seeking asylum?
Cisco clearly you are intimate with this subject matter, could you answer me how do people seeking asylum follow these rules and protocols whenm they are fleeing persecution?
I am not worried about boat people.
I am worried about the Mamby Pamby way ALL of our politicians and beaurocrats are dealing with the issue. One day, this way. Next day, the other way.
Why are we getting these "Border Security" shows on TV. They are trying to con us into believing they are doing a good and proper job. Bollocks!!!!
As for "50,00 people are here illegally already circumventing protocols rules policies etc - they are not even at risk of persecution in their home countries."
Yes they crap me off too for the drain they place on our economy as well as the lousy backpackers who lie about how much they earn here and the amount of tax they fraudulently claim in refunds.
Nobody arrives here by plane with out some sort of documents which can be checked and traced.
The boat people arrive with no documents at all. They have already sacrificed their life's savings or whatever to get here physically, so don't try to tell me they will not lie through their teeth to get themselves here politically.
"Cisco clearly you are intimate with this subject matter, " Not so.
What I do know is that if I am trying to cross the Malay/Thai border on a Friday and my Malay visa has expired, the stinking Malay Police will lock me up for the weekend unless I pay a bribe.
We play it by the rules in this country, fair and square, straight and true. Not so on the Asian sub continent. They play our rules against us.
If the boat people get a clear message that they will not gain entry to Aus by that method, they will stop arriving and the multi millions of dollars we waste on them can be better directed to helping them in their own country.
