Asylum seekers: Opposition warns paid people smuggler claims are damaging relationship with Indonesia

Sydney : A Federal Opposition frontbencher has warned allegations Australian officials paid people smugglers to turn a boat back into Indonesian waters are affecting diplomatic relations with the country.Labor immigration spokesman Richard Marles joined Indonesia in asking for answers from the Government over the claims after Prime Minister Tony Abbott last week refused to confirm or deny the allegations.Mr Marles told ABC’s Insiders program he “would have thought it was a clear matter to deny the proposition that we would not be paying people smugglers”.”It is no small matter here, this is clearly now having an impact on our relationship with Indonesia, that the foreign minister of Indonesia has raised this with our ambassador to Indonesia, just highlights the fact it is on their mind,” he said.
“But we shouldn’t be waiting for the Indonesians to do this investigation, we should be hearing from our own government about what exactly happened.
“Why on earth you would be trying to create a pull factor of this kind, giving people smugglers the sense that if they turn up next to an Australian Navy vessel there is half a chance they’re going to be given some Australian taxpayer-funded money, this is ridiculous if that’s what’s ultimately occurred.
“What is utterly amazing here is the Prime Minister repeatedly, repeatedly on Friday, has invited us to believe that’s exactly what occurred.”
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton today refused to comment on the claims after denying the allegations earlier this week. “The Government will always do the right thing by the Australian people,” he said.”We will act within the law, we will act within our international obligations, but from day one we have not commented on specific operations.
“We provide details at a time which is operationally appropriate.”Foreign Minister Julie Bishop last week rejected the claim, and MP Philip Ruddock said the allegations had not been proven.Finance Minister Mathias Cormann told Sky News the Prime Minister’s refusal to comment had been misinterpreted.
“Questions in relation to specific operation matters are answered as appropriate by the Minister for Immigration, Minister Dutton, and he of course has done so on this occasion,” Mr Cormann said.”I mean this proposition that somehow the Prime Minister has refused to deny and that somehow this is translated into payments have been made is just wrong.”