Asylum seekers flagged arrival at Christmas Island with police...

Asylum seekers flagged arrival at Christmas Island with police Save this story to read later
From: AAP

September 28, 2011 6:12PM
THE crew of an asylum seeker boat telephoned Western Australian police to alert them to the vessel's imminent arrival at Christmas Island.
Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor said the patrol boat HMAS Albany, operating under the control of Border Protection Command, intercepted the vessel this morning.
"Initial indications suggest there are 75 passengers and two crew on board," Mr O'Connor said in a statement.
They are being taken to the Christmas Island detention centre for initial checks.
Authorities were alerted after the boat crew made three calls to 000 and were put through to WA police.
The caller said the boat was five nautical miles northeast of Christmas Island and did not claim the vessel was in distress, official sources said.
It is the fourth boat to be intercepted since the High Court on August 21 quashed the Federal Government's Malaysia people-swap deal.
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Since the deal was signed in July, 658 people and 22 crew have been picked up.
It's understood it is not the first time a boat crewman has alerted WA police of its impending arrival, and in the past telephone calls have been put through to a range of agencies including customs, the immigration department and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard is continuing talks with independents MPs to get amendments to migration laws through parliament to put the Malaysian deal on solid legal ground.
Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison said the Government should accept the Coalition's migration law amendment - which would ensure offshore processing was only done in UN refugee convention signatory countries - and look for an alternative solution to Malaysia.
Nauru, the Coalition's preferred option for offshore processing, on Monday officially became a party to the convention.
Labor has rejected Nauru as an option, citing immigration department advice that people-smugglers saw it as an easy entry-way to Australia.
"Our amendments provide greater protection for those who would be processed offshore and equally provide protection against challenges in the courts," Mr Morrison said in Sydney today.


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