Australia’s PM-elect Abbott faces early asylum-seeker test
Two boats carrying asylum seekers to Australia intercepted and diverted to Christmas Island in an early challenge to PM-elect Tony Abbott's anti-illegal immigration resolve
Australia’s prime minister-elect Tony Abbott faced an early test on Monday over the divisive issue of asylum-seekers, with the first people-smuggling boats arriving on his watch and diplomatic pressure from Papua New Guinea.
Abbott, elected on Saturday as Australia’s next leader, put a pledge to “Stop the Boats” at the centre of his campaign, vowing a crackdown on asylum-seekers arriving by sea.
It wouldn’t surprise me if they attempt to test the new government’s resolve but they will certainly find our determination more than equal to theirs
In an early test of his promises, the first boat on his watch, carrying 88 passengers, was intercepted off Australia’s coast overnight and taken to the remote processing centre on Christmas Island.
A second vessel, carrying 57 passengers including two foreign journalists reportedly working for the US media, was escorted to Christmas Island later on Monday after being intercepted by the navy.
The asylum-seekers’ fate under the new government was unclear.
Abbott said he expected people-smugglers to test the new government and warned it was now a “very different situation” in Australia.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if they attempt to test the new government’s resolve but they will certainly find our determination more than equal to theirs,” he told commercial radio.