People smugglers branded evil, arrivals sent to Nauru

People who smuggle others into Australia by boat are part of an “evil trade” that is constantly changing tactics to get around border controls, the prime minister has said.

A group of almost 40 people from Pakistan and Bangladesh were found at Beagle Bay north of Broome late last week and have now been flown to an offshore detention centre on the Pacific island of Nauru.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says the incident shows the Labor government is beginning to “lose control again of our borders”, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Australian Border Force had sent a clear message to any would-be people smugglers.

“People smugglers are part of an evil trade,” he told reporters in Perth on Monday.

“They’re trading in people and they’re prepared to see people risk their lives in order for them to make a profit.

“They will constantly try to change and what we will do is constantly be vigilant and ensure that the message is very firmly sent … People who arrive by boat, get sent offshore.”

Boat turnbacks, together with measures that would remove arrivals from Australian soil to other locations, showed Operation Sovereign Borders, better known as the “Stop the Boats” policy, was still in place.

Mr Dutton maintained the prime minister was not doing enough on border protection and had incentivised people smugglers by leading a “weak and incompetent” government.

But Abul Rizvi, a former deputy secretary of the Immigration Department, warned politicians to be careful with their rhetoric saying it could lead to more illegal boat arrivals.

“If people smugglers are able to convince potential people who may wish to come to Australia by boat, that the difference in the rhetoric is something they can take advantage of … we may if that happens, see a rise in boats,” Dr Rizvi told ABC radio.

“I would counsel politicians on either side not to inflame the rhetoric in this space.”

In response to accusations he was jeopardising national security, Mr Dutton, who was home affairs minister in the previous government from 2017 to 2022, said Labor, not his comments, was enticing people smugglers.

“Nobody’s politicising the issue. We’re pointing out the fact the government is making significant errors here,” he told Sunrise on Monday.

Dr Rizvi said while he had not seen any evidence of a reduction in resourcing for the Australian Border Force, more information was needed.

“The statistics and the allocation of resources in this space is not entirely transparent and it would be good if the government were to explain what has happened in terms of resourcing,” he said.

Mr Albanese confirmed he spoke with Operation Sovereign Borders commander Rear Admiral Brett Sonter on Sunday after three groups of boat arrivals had been found.

The commander also cautioned against politicising the boat arrivals.

Mr Dutton said the government needed to explain how many boats had arrived and how they were able to evade detection.