An asylum-seeker boat, thought to be carrying around 60 people, has been intercepted off the coast of Western Australia, the government says.
Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare said the HMAS Maitland, under the control of Border Protection Command, stopped a "suspected irregular entry vessel" northwest of Ashmore Islands on Friday night.
Around 60 passengers are believed to be on board and will be taken to Christmas Island, he said in a statement.
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It comes after another boat, carrying 50 passengers and two crew, was intercepted off the West Australian coast on Wednesday night.
Immigration Minister Chris Bowen immediately followed the news with a statement saying that the most recent vessel was the 23rd asylum seeker boat intercepted since Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said "No to offshore processing".
"We all know that turning back boats is dangerous. Nauru won't work to prevent boat journeys on its own, and temporary protection visas led to more women and children risking their lives at sea," Mr Bowen said in a statement.
"All the expert advice to government has said we need a genuine deterrent - such as the Malaysia Arrangement - to stop people from taking these dangerous boat journeys."
On Friday, Mr Abbott delivered a major speech on border protection, promising to call Nauru on his first day in office to have the Howard government-era detention centre there reopened.
He also vowed to visit Indonesia in his first week as prime minister to "renew" Australia's cooperation against people-smuggling.
"I would, of course, politely explain to the Indonesian government that we take as dim a view of Indonesian boats disgorging illegal arrivals in Australia as they take of Australians importing drugs into Bali," Mr Abbott said in a speech to the conservative Institute of Public Affairs thinktank in Melbourne.
Mr Abbott also reaffirmed his intention to turn boats back to Indonesia - where it is safe to do so - despite Indonesia repeatedly warning it would oppose such a policy.
He said he would reintroduce controversial temporary protection visas.
