An asylum seeker has been found after he became separated from a group that illegally arrived in Australia by boat.
He was located in the Mitchell Plateau area, in northern Western Australia, on Sunday morning and is now being assessed by authorities.
It is believed he became separated from a ‘group of Chinese nationals’ who arrived the Mungalalu Truscott Airbase in the remote Kimberley region on Friday afternoon.
Questioned over border security concerns, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese argued there will be no changes made to the nation’s approach to border protection in response to the latest arrival.
‘We have a very large coastline. What is clear, though, is that people who are unauthorised arrivals will not be settled in Australia,’ he said.
‘Operation Sovereign Borders principles will apply as they have been in this case.’
The boat arrival is understood to be the third illegal maritime landing on Australian soil in under six months.
A plane carrying the rest of the group to an offshore detention centre in Nauru departed RAAF Curtin base in Western Australia on Sunday morning, according to reports from The Australian.
On Sunday, Opposition Home Affairs spokesman James Paterson Home described the situation as a ‘failure’ and claimed the arrival would incentivise people smugglers to attempt to enter Australia.
‘Aerial surveillance hours under this government’s watch have dropped 20 per cent, maritime patrol days have dropped 12 per cent, and the result of that is people are getting through, they are getting onshore, and our border protection regime is being undermined,’ he said.
‘It’s no surprise that people smugglers are testing their (the government’s) will.’
More to come
