Bookmark
Print
Immigration officials from two countries will work together to stop people smuggling.
11 March 2010
Australian immigration to fight people smuggling with Indonesia
Australia and Indonesia have reached an agreement to increase efforts to combat people smuggling, following an increase in asylum seekers reaching Australia.
Australian immigration and Indonesian authorities will expand co-operation in fighting "transnational crime, including people smuggling," Indonesia President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said.
The Indonesian President made the announcement with Australia’s Prime Minister Kevin Rudd at a press conference during a three-day visit to Australia.
The two leaders also agreed to boost cooperation in fighting extremism and Rudd congratulated Indonesia's efforts to dismantle terror networks after counter-terrorism forces on Tuesday discovered a man believed to have been one of the masterminds of the 2002 Bali bombings during a raid in the capital Jakarta.
Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said the immigration agreement would include disrupting people-smuggling rings.
"It does go to both operational matters and also to prevention and disruption and the organisational arrangements," Smith told the ABC.
The Australian Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people lodge their Australian Visa applications with the Australian High Commission.
