Albo hits back on boats claim

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has knocked backmost claims his authorities volition shutter the Nauru offshore detention centre, calling reports astir a forecast $250m redeeming from mothballing the processing installation “wrong”.

“Operation Sovereign Borders is successful place,” helium told the 2GB vigor amusement connected Wednesday.

“We present don’t nonstop radical to PNG, due to the fact that that installation is closed. Nauru is open.”

Host Chris O’Keefe pressed the Prime Minister connected the budget’s forecast walk connected “offshore management” wrong the Home Affairs department.

The department’s portfolio statements amusement a diminution successful the program’s allocation from $604m successful 2024-25 to $339m successful 2025-26, $345m successful 2026-27 and past $352m successful 2027-28.

Mr O’Keefe asked Mr Albanese wherefore helium was “mothballing” the centre, but the Prime Minister stated flatly: “We’re not”.

“From clip to time, media get things wrong.”

He said the authorities was not redeeming $250m by taking detainees retired of the detention centre.

“That (Nauru) is open, that is wherever radical volition beryllium sent who get successful an unauthorised manner due to the fact that they won’t beryllium allowed to settee successful Australia.”

Mr Albanese defended his grounds connected borderline information contempt a abrupt swell of amerciable vessel arrivals hitting the country.

“From clip to time, these radical smugglers, this evil business, volition person a crack,” helium said.

“But Operation Sovereign Borders is successful place, it has ne'er much backing than it has today.”

In aboriginal May, Australian Border Force officers detained 5 men connected Queensland’s acold northbound Saibai Island aft the crossed illegally into the state connected a dinghy from Papua New Guinea.

In February, immoderate 40 asylum seekers were recovered roaming successful distant Western Australia aft their vessel deed the shoreline

It is understood the men were relocated to Nauru.

“We won’t let anyone who arrives successful that manner to beryllium settled here, due to the fact that we don’t privation the evil concern of radical smuggling to beryllium and we don’t privation radical to hazard their lives successful coming present connected boats,” Mr Albanese said.

“Our strategy is successful place. No 1 is being allowed to settee here.

“There person been immoderate issues here, but they person been dealt with, they person been dealt with expeditiously.”

Mr Albanese besides defended his government’s wide walk connected borderline security, spruiking an further $569m successful the 2024-25 fund to boost the country’s capabilities that underpin borderline information security.

“Border extortion has ne'er had much concern than it has today,” helium said.

“Operation Sovereign Borders is successful place, not a azygous idiosyncratic who has travel present arsenic an unauthorised vessel accomplishment connected my premier ministership has settled here.”