Extra military surveillance aircraft and ships have been sent to Australia's northern waters to boost border protection efforts. The move comes amid warnings from the conservative opposition that government changes this week to refugee visas could see a resumption in people-smuggling activities.
Since 2013, the Australian navy has been towing or turning away migrant boats trying to reach Australian waters under the government’s Operation Sovereign Borders.
The military component of the effort is called Operation Resolute.
The new deployment of additional patrol ships and surveillance aircraft comes as the left-of-center government this week gave about 19,000 refugees on temporary visas the right to stay permanently under new rules. To qualify, migrants must have arrived in Australia before the start of Operation Sovereign Borders.
Defense chiefs have confirmed that the military is offering so-called “surge support” to efforts to deter boats trying to reach Australia’s northern territorial waters.
Opposition lawmakers said the new visa changes would encourage more asylum-seekers to try to reach Australia by sea and would “enliven opportunities for people smugglers.”
Conservative Senator David Van asked a senior navy officer about the new Royal Australian Navy — or RAN — deployments at a parliamentary inquiry in Canberra on Wednesday.
“Has the RAN been ordered to redirect resources from regional exercises to support Operation Resolute following the government’s changes to visa settings?” Van asked.
In response, Vice Admiral David Johnston said the Australian Defense Force — or ADF — is providing additional resources.
“The defense force generally, senator, surges as is required to support Operation Sovereign Borders.,” Johnston said. “That is available to the government to employ the ADF in that nature and we are currently providing surge support.”
Operation Sovereign Borders has been condemned by rights groups but in a new video posted online, Australian Rear Admiral Justin Jones said the strict border protection measures would continue.
“Anyone who attempts an unauthorized boat voyage to Australia will be turned back to their country of departure, returned to their home country or transferred to a regional processing country,” Jones said in the video. “If you attempt an illegal maritime journey, you will not settle in Australia. You have zero chance of success.”
The minister for international development and the Pacific, Pat Conroy, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Thursday that the government would continue to turn away migrant boats, and that “Our policy is the same as the last government’s policy when it comes to this operation. Every single boat is turned back or returned.
“There is zero chance of anyone coming to this country, settling in this country if they do not have a valid visa upon entry,” Conroy concluded.
Australia had paid two Pacific countries to detain asylum seekers and refugees who attempt to reach Australia by boat.
The agreement with Papua New Guinea ended in 2021, but 60 migrants are still in community detention on the tiny island of Nauru.