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| Asylum seeker boat with 120 on board rescued | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Navy vessels rescued 120 people from an asylum seeker boat 94 nautical miles off Christmas Island on Wednesday night. | Navy vessels rescued 120 people from an asylum seeker boat 94 nautical miles off Christmas Island on Wednesday night. |
| The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) received a distress call at 12.25pm on Wednesday and an hour later broadcast an alert to all ships in the area near the Australian territory island, 500km south of Indonesia. | The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) received a distress call at 12.25pm on Wednesday and an hour later broadcast an alert to all ships in the area near the Australian territory island, 500km south of Indonesia. |
| The vessel was monitored by a maritime surveillance plane until HMAS Bathurst, ACV Triton and a merchant ship reached it at around 7pm that night. | The vessel was monitored by a maritime surveillance plane until HMAS Bathurst, ACV Triton and a merchant ship reached it at around 7pm that night. |
| Navy and Customs personnel made the decision to transfer all passengers onto the Bathurst and Triton, due to rough seas. | Navy and Customs personnel made the decision to transfer all passengers onto the Bathurst and Triton, due to rough seas. |
| Former foreign minister Gareth Evans, now president emeritus of the International Crisis Group, has suggested Australia could begin an international conversation about rescoping the United Nations refugee convention. | Former foreign minister Gareth Evans, now president emeritus of the International Crisis Group, has suggested Australia could begin an international conversation about rescoping the United Nations refugee convention. |
| Evans doubted Australia would walk away from its obligations under the convention, but pointed to problems with the definition of refugees as feeling from persecution in the context of the current world climate. | Evans doubted Australia would walk away from its obligations under the convention, but pointed to problems with the definition of refugees as feeling from persecution in the context of the current world climate. |
| "We have to recognise there have been concerns about the applicability of the convention to the circumstances of the 21st century compared to the post World War II years," he told ABC Radio. | "We have to recognise there have been concerns about the applicability of the convention to the circumstances of the 21st century compared to the post World War II years," he told ABC Radio. |
| "That doesn't on the face of it extend to those like Syrians at the moment, who are mostly fleeing from the risk of death by crossfire in a civil war," he said. | "That doesn't on the face of it extend to those like Syrians at the moment, who are mostly fleeing from the risk of death by crossfire in a civil war," he said. |
| But Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison said he had strong reservations about the interpretation of the convention. Morrison did not confirm that the Coalition would remain a signatory to the convention if they were in government, but hinted they may remove the appeals process to the refugee tribunal. | But Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison said he had strong reservations about the interpretation of the convention. Morrison did not confirm that the Coalition would remain a signatory to the convention if they were in government, but hinted they may remove the appeals process to the refugee tribunal. |
| Minister for home affairs Jason Clare said on Tuesday the issue has been "poisoned by politics," and Opposition leader Tony Abbott called for prime minister Kevin Rudd to recall parliament over the "national emergency". | Minister for home affairs Jason Clare said on Tuesday the issue has been "poisoned by politics," and Opposition leader Tony Abbott called for prime minister Kevin Rudd to recall parliament over the "national emergency". |
| This latest rescue comes after four people drowned when a boat carrying around 150 people capsized under Customs escort in rough seas on Tuesday night, and nine people died on Friday night, including a boy less than one year old. | This latest rescue comes after four people drowned when a boat carrying around 150 people capsized under Customs escort in rough seas on Tuesday night, and nine people died on Friday night, including a boy less than one year old. |
| The tragedies sparked questions and criticisms about the resource capabilities of Australia's search and rescue and border protection services. | The tragedies sparked questions and criticisms about the resource capabilities of Australia's search and rescue and border protection services. |
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