Prime Minister Tony Abbott has dismissed criticism of his government’s border protection policies, saying they have been “magnificently successful” amid reports of a suspected asylum seeker boat off the coast of Western Australia.
The Australian Navy has taken control of the operation surrounding the vessel, first sighted by a tanker off Dampier on Monday morning.
A spokesman for oil and gas sector contractor MODEC told SBS that the boat - reportedly carrying Vietnamese passengers - entered the 500-metre exclusion zone around an oil rig, some 140km off the coast.
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Mr Abbott refused to comment on the reports on Tuesday, stating that the government’s does not comment on operational matters on the water.
He told reporters in Canberra that his government remained committed to ensuring that “people will not come to this country illegally by boat”.
“If any, by hook or by crook actually get here, they will never get permanent residency in this country,” he said.
“And long as anyone thinks that by coming here by boat, they will get the great prize of permanent residency here in Australia; the evil, dangerous, deadly trade of people smuggling will continue - and this Government will do everything we humanly can to stamp this trade out.”
Mr Abbott also dismissed criticism of his government’s policies.
“If you want to be critical of this Government's border protection policies, go for your life,” he said.
“But by comparison to our predecessors, we have been successful and in being magnificently successful, we have saved the lives of hundreds of people.”
Authorities are continuing to monitor the arrival of a suspected asylum seeker boat, whose arrival comes almost two years to the day after another asylum seeker boat sailed close by an oil and gas facility about 200km from Dampier.
The Refugee Action Coalition has called on the government to bring the suspected asylum seekers ashore.
Spokesman Ian Rintoul has voiced concerns over the welfare of those onboard the vessel, citing a turnback of 46 Vietnamese asylum seekers in April.
"We know from past actions, the government will likely attempt to return the asylum seekers to Vietnam,” he said.
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