vietnamese surge of asylum seekers

Gee it's like the Liberals war legacy from forty years ago all over again...
ABC Online..

Immigration Department figures show a thirty-fold increase in the number of Vietnamese people seeking asylum in Australia.

Yesterday a boat carrying 84 people - mainly Vietnamese - was intercepted in waters 50 kilometres away from the Kimberley town of Broome.

The group was brought ashore at the local port and has been transferred to the Curtin Detention Centre.

Department figures show 759 Vietnamese people have arrived by boat so far this year - up from fewer than 50 last year.

The Refugee Action Coalition's Ian Rintoul says it is a result of a Vietnamese government crackdown on dissidents and religious minorities.

"I guess I'm a little surprised, but it has been pretty obvious over the past couple of months that there have been increases in the number of people from Vietnam," he said.

"[That is] the result of the crackdown, on the underground Catholic Church in particular, in Vietnam."

Indonesian minister clarifies stance on turned-back boats

Indonesia's foreign affairs minister Marty Natelegawa says his government will not accept asylum seeker boats being towed back from Australia.

In comments yesterday, Mr Natelegawa said he would be willing to discuss the Opposition's policy to turn boats around if the Coalition won the election, sentiments which had encouraged the Opposition.

But interviewed on Channel Ten last night, Doctor Natalegawa clearly said he did not support the plan to tow back boats.

"Such a policy would constitute a unilateral type of measure that we do not support, and that's why in my earlier remarks today what I said basically is that let's hear what the policy is all about," he said.

"We are not ecstatic about it for sure, but in terms of in the spirit of wanting to hear the various policy options countries are proposing, parties are proposing, it's good to have this dialogue."

Dave R.