TONY EASTLEY: The Immigration Minister Chris Evans says he can't put a figure on how many asylum seekers are wanting to come to Australia.
Senator Evans says there are a lot of Sri Lankans and Afghans looking for refuge but he is confident Australia is acting in a humane way.
Samantha Hawley asked Senator Evans about the Kevin Rudd's reported request to Indonesia for it to intercept a boat load of Sri Lankan asylum seekers making their way to Australia.
CHRIS EVANS: Well, the Prime Minister I think has indicated publicly he has spoken with the President of Indonesia about people smuggling activity in recent days.
SAMANTHA HAWLEY: In that conversation did the Prime Minister ask that the boat be intercepted and returned to Indonesia?
CHRIS EVANS: Well, the Prime Minister said he wasn't going to discuss the details of that conversation.
SAMANTHA HAWLEY: Well, the foreign ministry in Indonesia has confirmed that Kevin Rudd did make that request.
CHRIS EVANS: Well, as I say the Prime Minister said he had a private conversation with the President of Indonesia.
SAMANTHA HAWLEY: Will more of these requests go to Indonesia in the near future as we see more boats heading to Australia? Philip Ruddock says it could be Kevin Rudd's own Pacific solution.
CHRIS EVANS: Well, I don't think Philip Ruddock has much credibility in these matters.
SAMANTHA HAWLEY: But in the last year you must acknowledge that there has been a rapid increase in the number of boat arrivals. The Opposition says that is because of the winding back of the Pacific solution.
CHRIS EVANS: Well that one, is not true and two, they don't advocate returning to the Pacific solution. What we are trying to do is deal in a proper way, in a humane way, with the reality of people fleeing persecution.
SAMANTHA HAWLEY: Is asking Indonesia to stop a boat of 260 Sri Lankans the humane thing to do?
CHRIS EVANS: Well it certainly is our policy to disrupt people seeking to move unlawfully towards Australia under the operation of people smugglers.
SAMANTHA HAWLEY: What does the Government know about how many people could be wanting to make their way to Australia?
CHRIS EVANS: Well, there is no answer to that. I mean, in the sense that clearly there are people who are registered with UNHCR (United Nations Human Rights Commission) in Indonesia and Malaysia but there are more who are not registered.
Senator Evans says there are a lot of Sri Lankans and Afghans looking for refuge but he is confident Australia is acting in a humane way.
Samantha Hawley asked Senator Evans about the Kevin Rudd's reported request to Indonesia for it to intercept a boat load of Sri Lankan asylum seekers making their way to Australia.
CHRIS EVANS: Well, the Prime Minister I think has indicated publicly he has spoken with the President of Indonesia about people smuggling activity in recent days.
SAMANTHA HAWLEY: In that conversation did the Prime Minister ask that the boat be intercepted and returned to Indonesia?
CHRIS EVANS: Well, the Prime Minister said he wasn't going to discuss the details of that conversation.
SAMANTHA HAWLEY: Well, the foreign ministry in Indonesia has confirmed that Kevin Rudd did make that request.
CHRIS EVANS: Well, as I say the Prime Minister said he had a private conversation with the President of Indonesia.
SAMANTHA HAWLEY: Will more of these requests go to Indonesia in the near future as we see more boats heading to Australia? Philip Ruddock says it could be Kevin Rudd's own Pacific solution.
CHRIS EVANS: Well, I don't think Philip Ruddock has much credibility in these matters.
SAMANTHA HAWLEY: But in the last year you must acknowledge that there has been a rapid increase in the number of boat arrivals. The Opposition says that is because of the winding back of the Pacific solution.
CHRIS EVANS: Well that one, is not true and two, they don't advocate returning to the Pacific solution. What we are trying to do is deal in a proper way, in a humane way, with the reality of people fleeing persecution.
SAMANTHA HAWLEY: Is asking Indonesia to stop a boat of 260 Sri Lankans the humane thing to do?
CHRIS EVANS: Well it certainly is our policy to disrupt people seeking to move unlawfully towards Australia under the operation of people smugglers.
SAMANTHA HAWLEY: What does the Government know about how many people could be wanting to make their way to Australia?
CHRIS EVANS: Well, there is no answer to that. I mean, in the sense that clearly there are people who are registered with UNHCR (United Nations Human Rights Commission) in Indonesia and Malaysia but there are more who are not registered.
SAMANTHA HAWLEY: So would it be wrong to say that there could be thousands of people wanting to make their way to Australia?
CHRIS EVANS: Well I think if one wants to use language like "could be" one could say anything. If you are asking me whether this is based on any evidence or any factual information, clearly Philip Ruddock was not able to produce anything to support his assertion but we have made very clear, I mean very open with the Australian public, there are a lot of Sri Lankan and Afghan people in south-east Asia seeking to find refuge in safe countries.
TONY EASTLEY: The Immigration Minister Chris Evans speaking there with our Samantha Hawley in Canberra.
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