These illegals have been a problem for Indonesia for years and they have been quite happy to pass on the problem to Australia by turning a blind eye to the people smugglers. It is also a fact that the Indonesian police are actully assisting the smugglers to load their boats with human cargo.
Not just the Indonesian police, the Indonesian army as well apparently......one of the English speaking survivors of the latest boat wreck off Java said that Indonesian soldiers escorted the people on to the boat.
Interesting to hear one of the survivors blaming the Australian government for what happened!
Why should our navy be expected to come running to the aid of a boat load of illegals that gets into trouble only a short distance out from Indonesia.
It should be the Indonesian authorities who respond – after all, it’s them who allow the boats to leave Indonesia despite knowing full well that they’re engaged in people smuggling.
Corruption is rife in Indonesia, from the police to the army to government officials. No wonder they object to the Australian government’s moves to put a stop to their lucrative little game. Not only would they lose a nice little money spinner, but the illegal immigrants would become Indonesia’s very expensive problem instead of being able to just palm them off on to us.