FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
OSB-1015
OPERATION SOVEREIGN BORDERS – JOINT AGENCY TASK FORCE
ALLEGATIONS OF PAYMENTS TO SIEV CREWS
CURRENT ISSUE
Media reporting has claimed that Australian officials paid thousands of dollars
to the captain and crew of a people smuggling venture that was returned to
Indonesia.
KEY FACTS/KEY FIGURES
• Fairfax media reporting has quoted the Indonesian police chief on the
island of Rote as saying six crew members aboard a recently returned
venture to Indonesia had been paid US$5000 each by Australian officials.
• The captain of the vessel advised the police chief that the money had
been given by an ACBPS officer.
• It has been reported that three AFP officers would be visiting Rote this
week, although the nature of their visit was not confirmed.
• When asked about this matter on 9 June 2015, the Minister for
Immigration and Border Protection denied Australian officials had paid
the crew of a boat to stay away from Australia.
QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES
Is the Department aware of these allegations, how has it investigated them,
and has it established if they are accurate?
• The Australian Government does not comment on or disclose
operational details where this would prejudice the outcome of current
or future operations.
• A range of information concerning operations is released by way of a
monthly media statement and operational update fact sheet. This next
release will occur in early July.
PDR No. QB15-000305
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
OSB-1015
OPERATION SOVEREIGN BORDERS – JOINT AGENCY TASK FORCE
ALLEGATIONS OF PAYMENTS TO SIEV CREWS
BACKGROUND AND CHRONOLOGY (NOT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE)
• s33(a)(iii), s47E(d)
• s47E(d)
• s33(a)(iii), s47E(d)
Contact: s47F
Phone: s47F
Division: OSB - Operation Sovereign Borders
Action Officer: s47F
Date first prepared: 11 June 2015
Date last Updated: 11/06/2015 - 5.39 PM
Originating Source: MO
PDR No. QB15-000305
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
OSB-1015
OPERATION SOVEREIGN BORDERS – JOINT AGENCY TASK FORCE
ALLEGATIONS OF PAYMENTS TO SIEV CREW
CURRENT ISSUE
Media reporting has claimed that Australian officials paid thousands of dollars
to the master and crew of a people smuggling venture that was returned to
Indonesia.
KEY FACTS/KEY FIGURES
• The Australian Government does not comment on or disclose
operational details where this would prejudice the outcome of current
or future operations.
• A range of information concerning operations is released by way of a
monthly media statement and operational update fact sheet. This next
release will occur in early July.
• The priority the Australian Government is, and always will be, the
protection of life at sea.
QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES
If asked, has the Indonesian Government asked the Australian Government
for an explanation of these allegations?
• Australia continues to work closely with Indonesia to strengthen
bilateral cooperation across the broad range of common interests and
cooperation we share.
• Australia remains committed to working with Indonesia to improve our
ability to address people smuggling and to respond to Safety of Life at
Sea (SOLAS) issues in the region.
PDR No. QB15-000305
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
OSB-1015
OPERATION SOVEREIGN BORDERS – JOINT AGENCY TASK FORCE
ALLEGATIONS OF PAYMENTS TO SIEV CREW
BACKGROUND AND CHRONOLOGY (NOT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE)
• s33(a)(iii)
• s47E(d)
• s33(a)(iii), s47E(d)
•
Fairfax media reporting has quoted the Indonesian police chief on the island of Rote
as saying six crew members onboard a vessel recently returned to Indonesia had
been paid US$5 000 each by Australian officials.
•
The master of the vessel advised the police chief that the money had been provided
by an ACBPS officer.
•
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi advised the media on 13 June 2015 that
she had sought further information from Australia’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Mr
Paul Grigson.
•
When asked about this matter on 9 June 2015, the Minister for Immigration and
Border Protection denied Australian officials had paid the crew of a boat to stay away
from Australia.
•
When asked whether Australian authorities ever paid people to return asylum
seekers, the Minister for Foreign Affairs replied: "No."
•
On Friday 12 June 2015, the Prime Minister said “we don’t comment on operational
matters, but we are determined to ensure that illegal boats don’t get to Australia. We
will do whatever is reasonably necessary to protect our country from people
smuggling and from the effects of this evil and damaging trade that costs lives”;
“What we do is we stop the boats by hook or by crook because that’s what we’ve got
to do, and that’s what we’ve successfully done and I just don’t want to go into the
details of how it’s done because like a lot of things that law enforcement agencies
have to do, it’s necessary, it’s difficult and at times I suppose it’s dangerous work, but
we deal with it and we’ve stopped the boats”; and “the short answer is the Australian
Government will do whatever we need to do to keep this evil trade stopped.”
Contact: Major General Andrew Bottrell
Phone: s47
Division: OSB - Operation Sovereign Borders
Action Officer: s47
Date first prepared: 11 June 2015
Date last Updated: 14/06/2015 - 8:31 PM
Originating Source: MO
PDR No. QB15-000305
