Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she’s still waiting on advice about reports an asylum seeker boat was wrecked on a reef and its passengers forced to swim to safety at the Cocos Islands.
The coalition has urged the federal government to clarify the circumstances surrounding the latest boat arrival in Australian waters.
Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare announced the boat carrying 32 asylum seekers was intercepted on Saturday night by the Australian Federal Police (AFP).
Ms Gillard said she was waiting on further information about the circumstances of the boat arrival on the Australian territory, northwest of Western Australia.
“I’ll wait until we’ve got full advice from the authorities,” the prime minister told reporters in Canberra on Monday.
Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison and border protection spokesman Michael Keenan have questioned the interception.
“The AFP do not have maritime assets in that region capable of such an interception and reports from locals in the region are there was no vessel to intercept, as it had been wrecked on a reef with the passengers forced to swim to safety where they were later rescued,” Mr Keenan said in a statement.
The government was not being up front, Mr Keenan said.
“Why misrepresent what has occurred in this situation, when the truth will do,” he said.
“The government must immediately clarify what has occurred with this vessel and the 32 passengers who were onboard.”
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