Authorities link up to stop boatpeople

By HELEN TUNNAH and AGENCIES

New Zealand is working with Indonesian authorities to ensure any ships carrying boatpeople do not leave that country seeking refuge here, says Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff.

He said yesterday that one small wooden fishing boat, thought to have 34 people aboard, was plying Indonesian waters.

It was rumoured to be targeting a Pacific destination, but it had no chance of reaching New Zealand.

Australian media reports said the boat was "not in good shape" and the Navy was gearing for a possible rescue mission if it sank.

The Vietnamese-flagged boat has already lost a propeller, and has berthed at two ports in Indonesia for repairs.

Mr Goff told Parliament yesterday that the Government was prepared for the arrival of any boatpeople, and any illegal immigrants would be deported.

"There are two reports of boats coming," he said.

"One is an unseaworthy fishing vessel that does not have a snowball's chance of getting to New Zealand. It will not get here.

" Its destination is probably Australia, not New Zealand."

There had been rumours of other, larger, ships bound for the Pacific loaded with boatpeople, but none was known to be on its way, he said.

"We are working with Indonesia, Australia, and the regional countries so that if any such ship goes through their border waters, that ship will be intercepted and turned around."

Mr Goff said the Government wanted to pass into law this week new people-smuggling penalties that would introduce a $500,000 fine and/or a 20-year jail term for the captain and crew of boats involved.

The Australian Government yesterday continued to monitor the position of the fishing boat. It was first seen in Indonesian waters some weeks ago, around Java.

Steve Ingram, spokesman for Immigration Minister Phillip Ruddock, said the Government there had no information about the people on board, or where the boat was headed.

The only reports the Government had on its destination was that it was looking further east than Christmas Island.

"It could mean Darwin, it could mean Torres Strait, it could mean the east coast or it could mean other parts of the Pacific."

Mr Goff said a people-smuggling journey to New Zealand across the Pacific would be long and dangerous, and had never been made before.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said the new laws were designed to protect New Zealand's borders.

The Transnational Organised Crime Bill penalising people smuggling was expected to be debated in Parliament today.

Feature: Immigration