The cash payments said to have been made to people smugglers would be the first done to specifically turn back a boat to Indonesia, reports say.
An Australian official is reported to have paid six crew members about $5000 each to turn back a boat in May that had been bound for New Zealand.
Reports of previous governments paying people smugglers emerged following the revelations, but Fairfax Media has reported last month's handover was the first of its kind.
In previous years, governments are said to have made payments to members of people-smuggling rings to disrupt their practice, pay for intelligence and dissuade crews from setting sail.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton would not comment on the report.
The Senate has launched an inquiry into whether the Abbott government made the payments on the high seas.
The legal and constitutional affairs references committee will also look into the legality of any payments under international and Australian law, and the extent to which such "bribes" encourage people-smuggling activities.
The committee will report by September 15.
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