Fed: Ruddock says new visa laws could be working

AAP General News (Australia)
12-06-1999
Fed: Ruddock says new visa laws could be working

By Debra Way

CANBERRA, Dec 6 AAP - The arrival of just two boatloads of illegal immigrants in the
last week could be a sign the government's tough new visa laws were working, Immigration
Minister Philip Ruddock said today.

An Indonesian fishing vessel carrying 120 illegal immigrants was intercepted off Ashmore
Reef this morning.

Mr Ruddock said it was only the second to arrive in the past week, compared to last
month's record influx of 1,247 people aboard 14 boats.

"Some might say the fact we haven't had any for a week could be a suggestion that it
is (working)," he told reporters.

Customs Minister Amanda Vanstone said the Customs vessel Botany Bay would escort the
motorised boat into a lagoon at the Ashmore Islands where those on board would be processed.

Mr Ruddock said the boat people would be sent either to a detention centre at Port
Hedland in Western Australia or Woomera in South Australia.

He also hit back at an accusation by Opposition Leader Kim Beazley that he had used
hysterical language on the illegal immigration issue.

Mr Beazley said Australia's policy on illegal immigration was appropriate, but the
same could not be said for the language used around it.

"The language surrounding it, frankly, from the minister, has been hysterical," Mr
Beazley told reporters.

"That has obviously attracted a degree of international tension and fuelled the capacity
for people to score points at our expense."

Mr Ruddock denied using hysterical language.

"I don't know that I've used any words that could be described in the terms that (Mr
Beazley)used," he said.

"I think the only comments that I have made have related to the intelligence information
that I was receiving."

The opposition attacked Mr Ruddock recently when he said up to 10,000 people were packing
their bags to try to enter Australia illegally.

Mr Ruddock said his comment was based on sound intelligence.

"Was he suggesting that if I had serious intelligence information that the community
ought to be aware of, that I shouldn't make it public?"

Mr Ruddock called on Labor to support its judicial review bill which would curtail
the rights of asylum seekers to pursue their claims for refugee status through the court
system.

"If he's really serious about entering into dialogue on these matters he might like
to say when the Labor Party will start to reconsider its approach to judicial review,"

Mr Ruddock said.

"Or is he still going to hang out there supporting the view that people ought to be
able to use the system to maintain themselves in Australia when they would otherwise be
unlawful."

Opposition immigration spokesman Con Sciacca said the government could not go on blaming
Labor for its own incompetence in dealing with the boat people issue.

"The three year temporary visas have been in operation now for six weeks and still
the boats keep coming," Mr Sciacca said.

"Mr Ruddock would be better served taking the opposition's advice and engaging with
overseas countries where these people are coming from and repairing the diplomatic relationship
with Indonesia, the main staging point, than thrashing around trying to find scapegoats
for the government's own incompetence in handling this issue."

AAP daw/mfh/rcg/de

KEYWORD: BOAT NIGHTLEAD

1999 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.