Navy fears people smuggling asylum seeker surge after Temporary Protection Visa ... trends now
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The navy has rushed ships and planes to patrol Australia's northern waters over fears the Albanese government's decision to allow 19,000 temporary visa holders to stay forever could reignite the explosive issue of people smuggling.
Vice Admiral David Johnston told parliament on Tuesday the navy had been providing 'surge' support for the past few weeks at the request of the commander of Operation Sovereign Borders.
'I won't specify the nature of the surge because it is responding to the circumstance that the Commander of Sovereign Borders has asked us for,' Vice Admiral Johnston told the Senate Estimates committee.
'But it is of the nature of additional aircraft surveillance and additional ships that are patrolling in our northern waters. The surge has been put in place in the last few weeks.'
The Albanese government this week announced that the 19,000 asylum seekers on Safe Haven Enterprise Visas (SHEV) and Temporary Protection Visas (TPVS) would be given permanent residency - following through on a promise made during the federal election campaign.
The navy has told parliament it is rushing ships to patrol northern Australian waters over fears the Albanese government's changes to visas could restart people smuggling (pictured navy boats patrolling Australia's northern approaches in 2009)
Previously people on those visas had no certainty about their future in
