Two boats carrying 51 asylum seekers have been intercepted by border patrols

by: Lanai Vasek
From:The Australian
January 03, 20121:09PM

TWO asylum-seeker boats have been intercepted by Australian authorities, the first to arrive this year, as negotiations remain in limbo between the government and the opposition on border protection.

Border Protection Command confirmed today the two vessels had been intercepted yesterday south-west of Ashmore Islands and north of the Tiwi Islands respectively.

HMAS Albany intercepted the first boat yesterday afternoon after it was detected by a Customs and Border Protection Dash-8 aircraft. Initial indications suggest there are 35 passengers and two crew on board.

The second boat carrying 16 passengers and one crew member was picked up last night by ACV Botany Bay after it received information from an offshore oil and gas installation operator of its whereabouts.

Border Protection Command said the passengers would be transferred to Christmas Island, where they would undergo initial security, health and identity checks and their reasons for travel will be established.

The boats arrived as the Gillard government remained tight-lipped on negotiations with the opposition to reinstate offshore processing.

A spokesman for Immigration Minister Chris Bowen told The Australian Online there was "no update" on the crucial talks.

Mr Bowen, Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and their opposition counterparts Scott Morrison and Julie Bishop met on Friday the 23rd of December for the first time to try and agree to a policy to reinstate offshore processing.

The talks garnered no outcome; however the government agreed to "work on a few things" and get back to the opposition with a date for the next set of negotiations.

Ms Bishop told The Australian Online yesterday they were still yet to hear back.

The government's border protection regime has been in limbo since its plans to swap 800 asylum-seekers for 4000 refugees from Malaysia was struck down by the High Court in August.

The Coalition and the Greens have both refused to endorse all previous government proposals to legislate around the court decision.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nati...-1226235569914