Foreign nationals found on NT island

The opposition has blamed the Albanese government after four foreign nationals were found on a remote island off the Northern Territory coast by traditional owners.

The ABC reported the men were discovered on Crocker Island about 250km northeast of Darwin on Monday.

They had told the traditional owners they had paid money to come to Australia.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton told reporters it was the 23rd boat arrival since Prime Minister Anthony Albanese came to power in May 2022.

“Our borders are not secure under the Albanese government. How can a boat make it to the mainland without any detection whatsoever?” he said.

Mr Dutton said there was no question people smugglers saw a weak Prime Minister.

“This is a government that released over 200 people from immigration detention and those people were hardened criminals, many of them have gone on to commit further crimes,” he said.

“So that is a pull factor for people who are prepared to pay money to people smugglers to get onto boats to come to our country.”

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said no people smuggling ventures had been successful under the Albanese government.

“People who come to Australia by boat have zero chance of success,” he said.

An Australian Border Force spokesman would not confirm any information about the four men found on the island.

“The ABF do not confirm or comment on operational matters,” the spokesman said.

On Monday, the Northern Lands Council issued a statement calling on authorities to deter foreign fishing vessels in the Top End.

Northern Lands Council chair Matthew Ryan said there had been an increased number of illegal fishing vessels detected along the West Arnhem coastline in recent months.

He said rangers had found foreign fishing boats in mangroves, with crew members swimming and wandering through Rolling Bay.

Community members reported a crew camped on a beach had stolen fuel and oil from three cars south of Warruwi.

Garngi rangers spotted another vessel on the north western side of Crocker Island on November 4, along with two shark carcasses that had their fins and tails removed.

“The Territory’s West Arnhem coastline is being targeted by illegal fishermen because it’s so close to Indonesia,” Mr Ryan said.

“These foreign fishing crews have been camping on Aboriginal land and people in our communities are worried because they know the fishermen have a lot to lose and they don’t know how far they’ll go to protect their stolen stock.

“It’s not good enough to simply tell these people to leave Australian waters, we need a much stronger approach to stop them stealing our resources. Crew members of each and every illegal fishing vessel should be prosecuted.”

More to come