media q and a - sri lankan arrivals 22 february 2007

8/12/2019 Media Q and A - Sri Lankan Arrivals 22 February 2007

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l osuppOtt meda tase on he t `/ransfer ofthe group of 85 peop:e on boardHMAS Success to Christmas lsland.Talking points:. The group of85 people intercepted by HMAS Success on 20 February weretransferred to Christmas lsland on 24 February.

. They will be accommodated temporarily on Christmas lsland while health checksand information gathering processes continue.

. The group are offshore entry people under the Migration Act and, in line withlong-standing Government policy, will be managed off-shore and will not bebrought to the mainland.

. The Australian Government is exploring a range of options for the handling ofthis group. Preliminary discussions have commenced with both lndonesia andNauru.o While the Government is considering options, clearly no action would be takenwhich would breach our international obligations.o Any suggestion that Australia would agree to an arrangement which would seerefugees returned to a country where they face persecution is wrong.they have claimed asylum, How can you even be consldering returning them,

Discussions with the lndonesian government so far have been preliminary.lndications are the group left from lndonesia to come to Australia.There are long-standing arrangements in place with lndonesia under whichrelevant international organisations manage the provision of assistance toasylum seekers in lndonesia.These arrangements include the capacity for those with protection claims tohave them considered by UNHCR in lndonesia and also to access long-termdurable solutions for people found to be refugees.

It's been reported the lndonesians intend to send them hack to Sri Lanka. lsn'tthis a breach of Australia's international obligations?. Discussions with the lndonesian government so far have been preliminary.. While the Government is considering options, clearly no action would be takenwhich would breach our international obligations.

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.Theirboatwasunseaworthy,andtheirliveswerepotentiallyinieopardy'Thatis,iwhy thev "gteed'i6 boaro r-iMAS succtss j? i+L,).Aslsaid,theirintenttoreachChristmaslslandwasclearandtheMigrationAclf'makesnodistinciionaStohowsomeonearrivesatanexcisedoffshoreplaceand thereby becomes an offshore entry person'

Are theY all healthY?o No health issues are apparent atthis stage' Health checks are being carried outon Christmas lsland.

Where are they being accommodated on Christmasr ln the Christmas Island lmmigration Detention

Witl they have access to consular and legaloAllimmigrationdetaineeshaveaccesstolegalandconsularassistance'wheretheY request it.

Who etse is detained on Christmas Istand?. As at 24 February,th ere are six oihers - two men who are currently inalternative detention ;;;; ffiit ;ifour living in residence determinationarrangements in the communitY'

What is happening with their vessel?. The unseaworthy vessel is being destroyed as it is a hazard to navigation'

ls this the start of a new wave of boatpeople?. As demonstrated by the Border Protection Command's detection andinterception of tnis ooat n"i'"fi''t border protection regime is working'

o We have in place appropriate and effective capabilities to manage ourborders and preserve Australia's sovereignty'o The Australian Government remains committed to combatting theOang"rou" unO i*idio" trade that is people smuggling'

When was the tast unauthorised arrival? How many have there been in the pastyear?. ln 2005-06, there were 50 mainland unauthorised arrivals and 6 offshorearrivals, making a ,"1'1 ;150 eonle who arrived unauthorised by boat'. Prior to this boat, in 2006-07 there have been three boats arrive in excisedoffshore Places:o 8 Burmese who arrived on Ashmore Reef in Augusto z vietnam"ese ''il " r"oo"ttian who arrived on Ashmore Reef inOctOber

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CASE DATE12 910 U JUt.'010

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o 40 PNG citizens who anived on saibai lsland in January and retumedhome voluntarily.Cleared by:PSTF26 February 2007

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7 2 0 u l o 8 Jul.2010COpYISSuED UNDERTHE FREEDOMOF:NFORMAT:ON A 1982

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media q and a - sri lankan arrivals 22 february 2007

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