New laws crackdown on people smugglers
May 13, 2010, 8:02 pm
People smugglers will find it harder to ply their trade after parliament approved tough new laws.
The federal government's bill, supported by the opposition, creates two new people smuggling crimes.
Smuggling ventures to Australia that involve exploitation or the danger of serious harm or death will carry a maximum jail term of 20 years.
The other new offence, with a maximum 10 year jail term, targets people who provide material support for smuggling activities.
That will include assistance such as cash, false documents and transport, but won't apply to people who pay a smuggler for their or a relative's passage.
Intelligence and law enforcement agencies will get new phone tapping and surveillance powers too.
Despite backing the legislation, the coalition took the opportunity to slander Labor's border protection record during the debate.
"(People smuggling) is an organised, corrupt trade that this government has inaugurated," opposition defence spokesman David Johnston told parliament on Thursday.
Independent senator Nick Xenophon said people smugglers profited from the desperation of others, and their trade should be curbed.
"As a country we should be taking steps to try and deter smugglers who charge exorbitant fees and offer pie in the sky promises, only to put their charges lives at risk in rickety boats in rough seas," he said.
However, Senator Xenophon and the Australian Greens both expressed concerns about the legislation's possible unintended consequences, such as breaching Australia's international human rights obligations.
A Greens amendment to the draft laws which sought to address this issue was defeated, with Labor minister Penny Wong saying the bill was a measured response to people smuggling activities.
Asylum boat lands 'undetected'
NICK BUTTERLY CANBERRA,
May 14, 2010, 2:15 am
These people drove their boat straight up to the jetty on Xmas Island WTF 
According to the Rudd Government, this is the moment the latest boatload of asylum seekers was "successfully intercepted" by Border Protection Command.
But authorities were nowhere to be seen when the boat with 55 people chugged unhindered into Christmas Island's Flying Fish Cove yesterday morning.
"They actually crashed the bow of the boat as it smashed into the jetty," one witness said.
But the Government tells it differently.
"Border Protection Command today successfully intercepted a suspected irregular entry vessel," Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor said. "HMAS Glenelg, operating under the control of Border Protection Command, intercepted the vessel during this morning near Christmas Island."
In fact, HMAS Glenelg only rushed to the scene after locals radioed the navy, warning that a boat had arrived at the Indian Ocean island under its own steam.
It is understood islanders helped guide the asylum seeker boat away from the jetty and told them to tie up at a buoy where they should wait for the navy.
"If this is a successful interception, I would hate to see an unsuccessful one," shadow border security minister Michael Keenan said yesterday.
"The people smugglers are now delivering direct to Christmas Island."
The vessel is the eighth to make it to Australian waters this month.
Personnel check the latest asylum boat.
Such is the number of people now arriving that the Christmas Island detention centre is again close to being full, even though the Government recently lifted capacity by almost 400 beds.
The Prime Minister's sensitivity to the boat people issue was exposed yesterday when a Government staffer accidentally forwarded an email chain to reporters showing how all press releases about new vessel arrivals had to be cleared by Mr Rudd's office.
The emails also showed how advisers in Mr Rudd's office were keen to work into press releases the message that the Government was tough on boat people because it had spent up big on the issue during this week's Federal Budget.
Fifty-seven boats have now arrived in Australian waters this year.
The Government's much criticised announcement in April to suspend the processing of asylum visas for Sri Lankans and Afghans for three and six months respectively seems to have had little effect on the flow of boats to Australia.
Nineteen boats have arrived since the visa ban came into force.
I don't know where you are getting these bulletins from GD but keep them coming please.
It is highlighting the hypocracy rife in this government.
if i ate alphabet soup i reckon i could crap out better quality journalism than what's published in the west australian.
Hey gypsy Im curious what is your beef exactly ?
Is it the types of people coming by boat or the method?
Do you think the vietnamese had a valid reason for coming here by boat in the 70's?
Did the refugees from greece and italy that came here after the 2nd world war have any valid excuse for shipping over with no money or formal skills?
What about the orphans from pom land 80 odd years ago?
Do you have any issues with the organised immigration process ? ( Is it ok for a person to come here on a student visa and expect to get permanent residency on completing their hairdressing diploma)
Was it ok for the English 200 + years ago to arrive by boat without any formal invitation?
How far back can you trace your Australian Heritage ?
Just some things that pop into my head when reading your posts here!
I think you are worried about nothing GD.
The numbers are minute in the grand scheme of things.
It would be an interesting experiment to just give them all a visa and see what effect that has on the numbers.
As it is we are being bastards on the basis of guess work. Even Machiavelli would call that stupid.
I think it is a shame (in the formal sense of the word) that we let our paranoia override our compassion.
Select to expand quote
I think it is a shame (in the formal sense of the word) that we let our paranoia override our compassion.
About two years ago there was an article in the press about a group of children in Africa that had built their own school out of tin and scrap wood.
In the same week was a report that Australian students had caused millions of dollars of damage to their schools that year including burning at least one of the schools down.
I welcome the type of people that are hungry for the opportunities that Australia can offer.
Keep going GD. Don't let the crab critter or any others put you off.
You are just relaying the news in an unbiased way.
The "illegal immigrant/refugee" exodus is happening all over the world.
Desperate people are trying to escape political, economic and religious oppression by fleeing to countries like ours.
This proves that those of us fortunate enough to be living in a western democratic society need not have a guilt complex about the way we live in comparison to the rest of the world.
Select to expand quoteelbeau said...
I think it is a shame (in the formal sense of the word) that we let our paranoia override our compassion.
About two years ago there was an article in the press about a group of children in Africa that had built their own school out of tin and scrap wood.
In the same week was a report that Australian students had caused millions of dollars of damage to their schools that year including burning at least one of the schools down.
I welcome the type of people that are hungry for the opportunities that Australia can offer.
Yes elbeau even in Bali..the kids wear their uniform with pride..it's an amazing thing to see....the pride that comes from a uniform that is related to learning and getting somewhere their parents can't in life, these kids of today that are so destructive, are the people that will be around us in years to come....I just can't yet imagine them as carers or in the care industries...lets just hope I am wrong as we are going to need them
Before you vituperate my dear you should attain a basic understanding of comprehension.
Clearly the educational opportunities afforded to you have been squandered.
GD and co.
Melbourne has the 2nd largest Greek population of any city in the world. Athens is the largest. Does that not bother you? No?
Probably would have when the rate of Greek arrivals was on the up (late 40's - onwards), yet now you enjoy the influence on our diet, culture and appreciation of the world beyond our castle gates.
Strange you can't relate that to the current slice of history.
Boat carrying 43 intercepted
NICK BUTTERLY, CANBERRA
May 17, 2010, 3:00 pm
Another suspected people smuggling boat has been intercepted off the coast of WA - the second to be picked up in as many days.
Customs said the Vessel Ashmore Guardian operating under the control of Border Protection Command picked up the vessel at midday Sunday, approximately four nautical miles north of Ashmore Islands.
There was 43 passengers and four crew on board the vessel.
On Saturday afternoon a Navy patrol boat rushed to the aid of a people smuggling boat in difficulties near off Scott Reef. That vessel was carrying 92 people.
Border Protection Command says the boat was taking on a significant amount of water and was deemed unseaworthy.
The passengers were also to be taken to Christmas Island.
Aid 'running out' for 1.3 million Pakistan refugees
ISLAMABAD — Thousands of Pakistanis continue to flee Taliban-plagued northwest provinces every day, but money is running out to help the 1.3 million people displaced by fighting, aid agencies warned Wednesday.
Pakistan faced its biggest humanitarian crisis in decades last year when three million people fled a military onslaught to dislodge Taliban rebels from the northwest Swat valley, prompting an outpouring of international help.
But as the year has passed, donor money has dried up, forcing aid groups to cut projects, despite the expansion of military operations in the northwest and the ongoing needs of families too frightened to return home.
"The crisis is far from over and hundreds of thousands of people are still in desperate need," said Caitlin Brady, head of the Pakistan Humanitarian Forum, a group of dozens of local and global aid agencies.
"Already many people are not getting the help they need, and we?re now faced with having to close more programmes for lack of money," said Brady, also acting country director for the International Rescue Committee.
Of the 537 million dollars requested by the United Nations and aid agencies to provide for the displaced in 2010, international donors have so far only come forward with 170 million dollars, the PHF report said.
Most of the three million people displaced by the Swat offensive returned home last summer, but the army has since launched fresh assaults on the tribal regions along the Afghan border, sending more people fleeing to safer areas.
Washington has called the semi-autonomous tribal belt the most dangerous place on Earth, rife with Al-Qaeda, Taliban and other Islamist groups who fled Afghanistan after the US-led invasion in late 2001.
"More than 1.3 million people are displaced, dependant on emergency relief to survive, yet funding for the emergency response is drying up," PHF said.
"Over the past month, some 800 families have been arriving in the districts of Hangu and Kohat every day, fleeing an escalation of fighting in Orakzai and Kurram (tribal) agencies," the report added.
These people -- many of whom stay in crowded relatives' homes or refugee camps -- need food, medicine, shelter and help getting work.
The group quoted 25-year-old Hajra, who they said left her village in Bajaur tribal district on foot, desperate for help from anyone.
"We don?t have tents, we don?t have bedding, no flour or oil. There is nothing. We have left our village without any belongings. We haven?t received any aid here. We are living in other people?s tents and helpless," she said.
Well, doggie, speaking for me personally, I think the answer is to work to stop the problems that cause them to flee in the first place. What that means in this conflict I don't know. I doubt anyone has a clear solution whether military, political or humanitarian.
But of course, that's only one conflict zone and as soon as that one settles down, another will pop up somewhere else in the world and the people there will run away from their homes. So part of the answer is for us to stop picking on the few people that make it this far.
Boat 60 arrives at Ashmore
ANDREW TILLETT CANBERRA
May 19, 2010, 1:29 pm
The Rudd Government has passed another unwanted asylum seeker milestone after the 60th boat for 2010 was intercepted last night.
The number of boats stopped in the first five months of 2010 is now equal to the number intercepted during all of 2009.
In 2008, seven boats were intercepted, and in 2007 one boat was intercepted a few weeks after Kevin Rudd became Prime Minister.
The record for the number of boats reaching Australian waters in a year is 86, set in 1999.
The Customs vessel Hervey Bay intercepted the boat vessel south west of Ashmore Islands yesterday evening, a statement said.
It is believed 39 passengers and two crew were on board the vessel.
The group will be taken to Christmas Island for security, identity and health checks, and their reasons for travel will be established.
The influx of asylum seekers has led to overcrowding on Christmas Island, where all boat people are taken as a first port of call for processing.
The big squeeze has prompted Immigration officials to sound out church groups to provide convents, monasteries and boarding houses to house families with children or unaccompanied minors.
In March, Mr Rudd said the coalition had achieved the "Gold, Silver and Bronze" for boat arrivals because it had the record for the most asylum seekers in a year, the most boats in a year and the most boats in a month - during 1999.
But Labor broke this latter record in March and April, and is on track to beat the most boats in a year based on the current rate of arrival.
