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| Refugee Boat (File Photo) |
By Luke Hunt
With Australia transfixed by the leadership tussle between Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her jilted former Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, another surge in people smuggling escaped the national media radar, with the number of asylum seekers arriving via Southeast Asia reaching record numbers.
In the biggest haul boats, almost 250 asylum seekers arrived within 24 hours of each other in February as smugglers capitalized on improved weather conditions. About 865 asylum seekers arrived in nine boats within less than two weeks, taking the total number so far this year to 1,572.
Read the full story at The Diplomat