Asylum seekers: Indonesian foreign minister wants answers over allegations Australia paid people smugglers

Extract from ABC News

Updated 42 minutes ago

Photo: Indonesia's foreign minister Retno Marsudi (R) speaks with Australian ambassador Paul Grigson. (Twitter: @archicco)

Related Story: Australia could be accused of people smuggling, law expert says

Indonesia's foreign minister says she wants answers from Australia over claims navy officials paid people smugglers to turn a boat back into Indonesian waters.

Last month, Australian authorities intercepted a boat carrying 65 asylum seekers.
The crew told police on Indonesia's Rote Island they had been paid thousands of dollars by Australian officials to turn around.
Retno Marsudi said she had raised the issue with Australia's ambassador Paul Grigson in Jakarta.

Paying off the people smugglers

If the Coalition are genuine in their judgment of people smugglers as "the scum of the earth", it would be a very strange thing to do business with them, writes Julian Burnside.

"I just met the ambassador just now ... so I made use of the opportunity to talk to him directly. Because we're very concerned if it is confirmed," she said.
"I just asked him 'What is it about, tell me, what is it?'.
"He promised to take my question, my inquiry, to Canberra and he promised to get back to me again."
Prime Minister Tony Abbott last week refused to confirm or deny the allegations and instead said the Government would stop the boats "by hook or by crook".
Two of the Prime Minister's senior ministers rejected the claim and MP Philip Ruddock said the allegations had not been proven.
Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Armanatha Nasir said on Saturday the country was investigating the allegations.
"Of course on Australia's push-back policy we have been consistently saying they are on a slippery slope," he said.
"And should this situation [be] confirmed ... it would be a new low."
Professor of International Law at the Australian National University Don Rothwell told the ABC that, under regional protocols, such activity could be tantamount to people smuggling.

ABC/Reuters