Interview - ABC News Radio
30 March 2010
Subjects: People Smuggling/Boat Arrivals
GLEN BARTHOLOMEW: Well the Federal Government is under increasing pressure over asylum seeker boat arrivals, with yesterday seeing the arrival of the one hundredth boat to come during the Rudd Government's term.
The boat landed at Christmas Island and the people onboard then reportedly rang authorities to alert them to their arrival.
To look at government plans for dealing with the continuing arrivals, Marius Benson is speaking here to the Home Affairs Minister, that's Brendan O'Connor.
MARIUS BENSON: Brendan O'Connor, yesterday marked the arrival of the one hundredth boat to come during the Rudd Government's term and the Prime Minister has previously made a point that the Howard Government held the record of 14 boat arrivals in a single month. That record for a single month of arrivals broken yesterday with the fifteenth boat arriving for March so far.
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: This underlines the challenge that we confront. We're dealing with this on a regional basis. We have a significant increase in people seeking asylum to this country. But can I say by way of comparison, the vessels, the 14 vessels that came in on one - in one month in the year 2001, under John Howard, had twice as many people.
But leaving that aside, the Government is confronting a challenge and we'll continue to deal with it in a - you know, in a manner that's both effective, but also dealing with people properly.
MARIUS BENSON: Is it the case that the latest arrival arrived at Flying Fish Cove on Christmas Island and actually phoned up authorities to say; we're here, come and get us?
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: Look, I'll seek advice on exactly how the vessel was intercepted by the customs and border protection vessel. But it's the case that we are dealing with—we're surveilling thousands and thousands of kilometres of water, to ensure that we do not have these vessels arrive on the mainland. Under the Howard Government there were 27 un-alerted vessels arriving, some of which arrived in Darwin and Cairns and Townsville. So by way of comparison, if there is a vessel that's managed to come through the contiguous zone of Christmas Island, which is thousands of kilometres from the mainland, I don't see that as a major issue.
But I will seek advice on the operation to fully comprehend what did occur.
MARIUS BENSON: Are more asylum seekers being transferred from Christmas Island to the mainland today?
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: Well, the Minister for Immigration will, from time to time, make decisions to have those that are currently detained on Christmas Island brought onto the mainland for a variety of reasons. This occurred under the Howard Government, it occurs under this government. And you'll have to ask directly the Minister for Immigration in relation to whether there's further detainees being brought to the mainland for other reasons.
But it's not unusual and it occurred, as I say, under the previous government.
MARIUS BENSON: Is Christmas Island now at capacity?
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: No, it's not. I mean what we know is we've been dealing with an increase in asylum claims and an increase of arrivals and we've managed to continue to process those arrivals, those seeking asylum on Christmas Island. But we've had to continue to expand the accommodation of the facilities. And it is a challenge, as we've said, but the Government's preference is to maintain this process, the offshore process on Christmas Island. And, at this point, we'll continue to do that.
MARIUS BENSON: You've got 20 - 2040 there now. How many more can you take on Christmas Island?
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: There's a couple of variables, as you know Marius. Firstly, we are expanding the capacity so that there will be a 400-person built facility to add to the current arrangements. We've had other forms of accommodation which has been appropriate. But we also, of course, have people that are either going home, or have been determined to be refugees and are looking to be settled.
So in terms of the variables, we are looking to make sure that we process people by either sending them home, or having them properly settled. And at the same time, build further capacity.
So it has been a challenge. This is a significant increase in people seeking asylum and, as a result, we'll continue to manage this matter effectively. But, you know, it's a day to day challenge.
MARIUS BENSON: Brendan O'Connor, thank you very much.
BRENDAN O'CONNOR: Thanks very much Marius.
GLEN BARTHOLOMEW: The day to day challenge indeed for Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor.
