Minister Media Release
BORDER PROTECTION COMMAND INTERCEPTS VESSEL - 25 March 2010
(25 March, 2010) Last night, Border Protection Command successfully intercepted a suspected irregular entry vessel.
HMAS Maitland, operating under the control of Border Protection Command, intercepted the vessel during the evening on 24 March west of the Ashmore Islands.
The vessel was initially identified by a Dash 8 aircraft, operating under the control of Border Protection Command.
Initial indications suggest there are 94 passengers and 3 crew on board the vessel.
On Tuesday 23 March 2010, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) released its 2009 report on Asylum Levels and Trends in Industrialised Countries. The report highlights that the number of arrivals to Australia remains very low by world standards.
In 2009 some 377,200 asylum claims were recorded in 44 countries with Australia receiving 6,170 – less than 2 per cent of the total asylum applications.
Australia was not alone in experiencing an increase in asylum seeker applications in 2009. While Australia had a 29 per cent increase, Denmark experienced a 59 per cent increase, Hungary a 50 per cent increase, Finland a 47 per cent increase, Poland a 47 per cent increase, Belgium a 40 per cent increase, and New Zealand a 36 per cent increase.
Australia is working with our neighbours, through bilateral cooperation and the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime, to address this most serious issue.
The Australian Government has committed more than $654 million to implementing a comprehensive people smuggling strategy to combat this issue. The Government has expanded its presence in the region with the Australian Federal Police, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Department of Immigration and Citizenship and the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service recently setting up or expanding liaison posts devoted to deterring irregular migration.
Agencies are working closely with their counterparts in country exchanging and gathering information, and strengthening our regional capacity to mitigate irregular migration to Australia. Our strengthened offshore approach is working. Since September 2008 there have been 112 disruptions of people smuggling ventures in Indonesia, and the arrest of 58 people smuggling organisers.
The group will be transferred to Christmas Island where they will undergo security, identity and health checks as well as establish their reasons for travel.
Contact: Brian Humphreys 0438 595 567 or Customs and Border Protection media (02) 6275 6793