Many including Australian Navy and their families openly support Liberal on immigration
Australian Navy patrol crews escorting intercepted asylum seekers to Christmas Island. Photo: Daily Telegraph
Overworked Navy patrol crews are feeling the strain. On any given day, 8 days out of 10, Darwin-based Armidale Class navy patrol boats are at the sea on duty patrolling boat people. As a result many of the sailors and their families are so annoyed that they openly support Opposition policy to turn boats around and reinstate temporary protection visas.
One sailor said, “We will need SAS and infantry with riot batons and shields to turn them back”. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott announced a $93 million package to boost border security. Mr Abbot also said Coalition would restore the $58.1 million Labor cut from a security screening program at Australia’s ports and airports and add another $35 million to it. “You can trust the Coalition with border security. You can’t trust Labor,” Mr Abbott said.
Just this year alone 81 illegal boats have arrived carrying 3854 people, i.e. an average of 50 passengers each. Stressed Navy calls for reservists to ease and relieve overworked navy patrol boat crews.
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