Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Hansard source

For Senator Ludwig to make that assertion is completely without foundation. When there was a report we sent a helicopter out to have a look at the vessel concerned. It did so. We then despatched the Storm Bay, which, as I described yesterday, came alongside the vessel during the hours of darkness and waited for daylight hours before boarding it. We notified AMSA of the vessel, and AMSA took over the operation. And we alerted vessels in the area in relation to any possible hazard in relation to the vessel. That was standard procedure. It was an interdiction which took place by our assets once that information had been received.