Tampa affair
From Wikipedia,
ABC news report by
Margot O'Neill on the
Tampa affair and its political context, October 2001.
In late August 2001, the
Howard Government of Australia refused permission for the Norwegian freighter
MV Tampa, carrying 433 rescued refugees (predominantly
Hazaras of
Afghanistan from a distressed fishing vessel in international waters) and 5 crew, to enter Australian waters.
[1][2] This triggered an Australian political controversy in the lead-up to the
2001 federal election, and a diplomatic dispute
between Australia and
Norway.
When the
Tampa entered Australian waters, the
Prime Minister ordered the ship be boarded by
Australian special forces. This brought censure from the government of Norway, which said the Australian government failed to meet its obligations to distressed mariners under
international law at the
United Nations.
[3] Within a few days, the government introduced the
Border Protection Bill[4] into the
House of Representatives, saying it would confirm Australian
sovereignty to "determine who will enter and reside in Australia". The government introduced the "
Pacific Solution", whereby the
asylum seekers were taken to
Nauru where their refugee status was considered, rather than in Australia.
