Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Hansard source

Firstly, I can say that Coastwatch sighted this vessel on 8 March with a group of other vessels 100 nautical miles north of the north-west cape of Cape Wessel. This vessel came to the attention of Coastwatch and a flight was dispatched. It was located and the Storm Bay was despatched to intercept this vessel, which was drifting at that stage, although it was not known whether or not the vessel was abandoned. The Storm Bay, as I understand it, arrived during darkness alongside the vessel mentioned and, due to the fact that it was night-time and having regard to the safety of the officers on board, a decision was made to stay alongside but not board the vessel and to do so at first light in the morning, when it would be safe to do so. That was not a delay which was in any way inappropriate. It was entirely appropriate in the circumstances to delay any boarding until the daylight hours, and that was done. The vessel was ascertained to be abandoned. It was thought to have been under tow but to have broken its tow, and it was consequently drifting.

What this does demonstrate is that we have in place aerial and maritime surveillance to intercept a vessel in these circumstances, and that was done. In fact, looking at what we have done for Customs since this government came to power, we have increased by just under 90 per cent the funding under the previous Labor government. Investigations are continuing in relation to this matter, which will now be conducted by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. They will take responsibility for recovering the vessel. This demonstrates yet again that we have adequate measures in place for border protection in this country.

If Senator Ludwig is advocating some sort of coastguard, he might want to tell us which version he wants, because there have been five proposed over the years by the opposition. Which one is he proposing? In fact, defence experts have criticised such a notion as being a duplication of assets and the establishment of a further bureaucracy. That is the problem with a coastguard. It would be cannibalising our Navy and our Customs maritime fleet and imposing a further bureaucracy, which would be costly and inefficient. In this case, we will continue to monitor the situation. We have air surveillance, maritime surveillance and unprecedented measures to our north looking after Australia’s borders, which the previous Labor government never had.