Don't trust agents promising boat journey to Australia: Envoy

CHENNAI: Voicing concern over people being cheated by agents promising to take them to Australia, a diplomat from the Oceanic country here today cautioned those undertaking such journeys to not trust such agents as they "lie" and leave them stranded mid-sea.

"It is a very very long journey. Australia is about 3,000 nautical miles, while New Zealand is 6,000 nautical miles. Agents who promise people to take them to Australia in illegal boat rides (from India) only lie," Australian Consul General for South India, Sean Kelly told reporters here.

"After getting the money, either they take them to some other place or leave them in the middle of ocean," he said.

Elaborating, Kelly said, "Between 2009 and 2013 alone, about 1,200 people have lost their lives in the middle of ocean".

Responding to a query on how Australia was handling the issue, he said, "Australian government do accept refugees and as of September, 2015 it was about 14,000 people (from various countries). But not those who take illegal boat journeys".

According to Deputy Consul-General for South India, Jon Bonnar, his government has taken up "tough border protection measures" under the Operation Sovereign Borders initiative.

"Under the operation, anyone who comes to Australia illegally by boat without a visa will never be settled in the country," he told PTI.

"This policy applies to families, children and unaccompanied children. There are no exceptions to this policy," he said.

For those who still take up illegal boat journey to Australia, he said, "Either they (refugees) will be intercepted and safely removed from Australian waters or they will be sent to another country for regional processing".

"Processing and resettlement in Australia will never be an option," he added.