Senator HANSON-YOUNG (2:39 PM) —My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Evans. Once the Oceanic Viking reaches the Indonesian port today, what processes have been agreed to for escorting the 78 asylum seekers off board? If they refuse to leave, will Australian officials allow the Indonesian police to come on board and forcibly removed them?

Senator CHRIS EVANS (Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) —I thank the senator for her question. The overwhelming focus of the Australian government is the safety and wellbeing of the passengers on board the Oceanic Viking. We are doing everything we can to support them and their health while looking to disembark them in Indonesia. As I understand it, at the moment the Oceanic Viking is anchored off the coast of the island of Bintan and final arrangements are being made in negotiation with Indonesia for the disembarkation.

The government is working closely with those passengers to try to ensure that the disembarkation occurs in an orderly manner and in a manner which encourages them to then be taken to temporary accommodation and, if they wish, to seek access to international organisations. It is clearly the preference of everybody involved that the passengers will disembark and will, as I say, go to temporary accommodation and then be supported by international organisations. We are confident that those arrangements will be put in place shortly and that we will see safe passage of these people, who were rescued by Australian authorities in the Indonesian search and rescue zone in order to make sure that they were safe. We have entered into arrangements with Indonesia to bring them ashore in Indonesia. That process is current. I do not have any more details about the current organisational matters because it is an ongoing operation, but we are trying to ensure that they are disembarked safely and with their cooperation. I can report that the hunger strike has ended. (Time expired)

Senator HANSON-YOUNG —Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I thank the minister for his answer, but could he please provide a more sufficient and direct answer to the question relating to whether ‘encouragement’ of people disembarking from the boat means that Australian officials will allow Indonesian police to board and forcibly removed them?

Senator CHRIS EVANS (Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) —I indicated to the senator that we are attempting to have the Australian Customs vessel dock and safely offload the passengers into the care of Indonesian authorities and make sure that they then go to temporary accommodation and have access to international organisations that will provide support. I obviously cannot run a commentary on what possible scenarios may or might not occur during disembarkation. There is no doubt that we have seen via the action of some of the men on board who staged a hunger strike that they may well not be happy with the idea of disembarking in Indonesia, but it is our intention to have them disembarked there. Obviously between us and the Indonesian authorities we seek to manage that while having their safety and wellbeing as our major priority.

Senator HANSON-YOUNG —Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. What agreement does Australia have with Indonesia about future interceptions of boats in international or Australian waters? Where will these people be taken? Is it now government policy that all boats found in international waters will be taken to Indonesia?

Senator CHRIS EVANS (Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) —I think I need to first of all correct the assumptions in the senator’s question. This boat was not intercepted. It sent a safety-at-sea distress call—a call for help. The Indonesian authorities received that call and asked us if we could send a naval vessel to provide assistance because we could get there first. We went and provided that support to that safety-at-sea call and we arranged with the Indonesians for them to be disembarked in Indonesia. The boat was in international waters but in Indonesia’s search and rescue zone. So this was not a question of an interception and a return to Indonesia; it was a question of taking on board people whose lives were at risk while in international waters. It is the case that we are encouraging Indonesia to disrupt people-smuggling activities on land and sea in their zone— (Time expired)