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Coalition on attack after boat arrivals

08 Mar, 2010 09:51 AM
The Opposition will use the arrival of two more boatloads of asylum-seekers on the eve of the visit of the Indonesian President to increase pressure on the Rudd Government over its border protection policy.

The Coalition is demanding Prime Minister Kevin Rudd reveal any secret offers to Indonesia over asylum-seekers.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will attend official lunches in Canberra tomorrow and on Wednesday before addressing a joint sitting of Federal Parliament on Wednesday afternoon.

The boats carrying 113 people were intercepted at the weekend one at Christmas Island and the other within 150km of the mainland off Broome in Western Australia.

Opposition border protection spokesman Michael Keenan said the Government must explain how the latest arrival was allowed to get close to the mainland, and suggested in future boats could arrive undetected.

''This boat was intercepted only a stone's throw from Western Australia's coast how much longer will it be before they begin to arrive on our beaches?'' he said.

Mr Rudd suggested he would again raise people smuggling with Mr Yudhoyono.

''Regional responses to the challenge of people smuggling are the only ones that work over time,'' the Prime Minister said yesterday.

''The cooperation we have from Indonesia, from Malaysia and from other regional countries is really important.''

The Opposition is avoiding any criticism of Indonesia for the latest wave of boat people and is directing its complaints to Mr Rudd.

Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop is demanding Mr Rudd reveal any secret offer to Indonesia over the asylum-seekers trapped on a boat in the Indonesian port of Merak for months.

For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times

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