Scott Morrison has breached his own rule against commenting on “on-water matters”, confirming an asylum seeker boat from Sri Lanka has been intercepted.
In a last-ditch pitch to voters on election day, Morrison told Australians they “need to vote Liberal and Nationals” for him to be there to stop future boats, despite Labor having an identical policy to intercept and turn back boats where safe to do so.
On Saturday voters in key NSW and Victorian marginals reported receiving text messages from the NSW Liberals warning them about the “illegal boat” and urging them to “keep our borders secure by voting Liberal today”.
Pathetic last minute scare campaign. Get in the bin @LiberalNSW pic.twitter.com/7SkDOet3Ji
— Amber Robinson (@missrobinson) May 21, 2022
A NSW Liberal spokesman confirmed the party had sent the text, adding “as Australians go to vote today it is important that they are informed about the choice that is before them”.
On Saturday the Australian Border Force said that “a vessel has been intercepted in a likely attempt to illegally enter Australia from Sri Lanka”.
“The Australian government’s policy remains unchanged,” it said in a statement. “We will intercept any vessel seeking to reach Australia illegally and to safely return those on board to their point of departure or country of origin.”
Morrison confirmed the interception after voting at Lilli Pilli public school at midday on Saturday.
“That vessel has been intercepted in accordance with the policies of government and they’re following those normal protocols,” Morrison told reporters.
“I can simply say this. I’ve been here to stop this boat but in order for me to be there to stop those that may come from here, you need to vote Liberal and Nationals today.
“In the interests of full transparency in the middle of an election campaign, the Labor party was advised of this.”
Morrison was repeatedly challenged that he had commented on an “on-water” matter, something he refused to do as immigration minister, but declined to answer interjections.
At a separate press conference the home affairs minister, Karen Andrews, said there were two boats, one intercepted by the Sri Lankan navy with 40 people detained and the second intercepted by the ABF “near Christmas Island”.
“Those ventures indicate very clearly what risk a Labor government poses … to our borders,” she told reporters. “This is not scaremongering, this is the reality.”
Earlier, the Saturday Paper’s chief political correspondent, Karen Middleton, noted the Australian had reported a boat had “been detected and intercepted by the Sri Lankan navy on the way to Australia and, of course, the government is saying ‘see we told you boats are a problem’”.
Middleton told the ABC that she had been contacted on 26 April by a member of the Sri Lankan Australian community saying that two boats were on their way.
“He said that he had a friend in Colombo who had witnessed people being put on a boat by Sri Lankan police,” Middleton said.
“He alleged that the Sri Lankan authorities had facilitated the boat, and he said it was designed as an election stunt to arrive just before the election.”
Middleton said she had been unable to verify the claim.
As immigration minister, Morrison and ABF officials famously refused to comment on on-water matters.
Even basic questions about whether boats had come to Australia or had been intercepted were rebuffed, with Morrison claiming he would update only if there had been “significant events regarding maritime operations at sea particularly where there’s safety of life at sea”.
But the practice has been breached by the Coalition before, including in August 2016, three months out from the federal election, when immigration minister Peter Dutton confirmed the Australian government had returned six Sri Lankans attempting to reach Australia by boat.
On Friday Morrison was asked if he could show empathy to the Murugappan family and allow them to return to Biloela, and used the opportunity to warn voters about Labor and boats.
Morrison said giving visas out was like writing “a prospectus for people smugglers” and that electing Labor would see “all of that terror come back” – despite the fact there is bipartisan support for offshore detention, boat turnbacks and third country resettlement.
The only difference of policy is that Labor would abolish temporary protection visas for refugees and asylum seekers who are already in Australia, who it is too late to deter.
The ABF statement said that “measures and safeguards are in place to enable actions and activities to be undertaken in accordance with Australian domestic law and Australia’s obligations under international law”.
“The overriding priority for all agencies involved in Operation Sovereign Borders is the safety of all persons involved, including potential illegal immigrants and vessel crews as well as Australian personnel.”
“In line with longstanding practice, we will make no further comment.”
