WA: Burke supports call for military involvement

AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-1999
WA: Burke supports call for military involvement

Northern Territory Chief Minister DENIS BURKE is supporting West Australian Premier RICHARD
COURT'S call for greater military involvement in repelling illegal immigrants.

Mr BURKE says the arrival of illegal immigrants at Australia's coasts are not a customs
problem and that defence efforts in the past have not been good enough.

He says Australia needs new patrol boats, early warning aircraft and better surveillance in
host countries.

Mr BURKE'S comments follow an attack by Mr COURT who has called the federal government
arrogant for refusing to reopen two remote military bases to help detect illegal immigrants.

MR COURT wants air bases at Derby and Exmouth staffed permanently to help in the air
surveillance of the northern coastline.

Last weekend a group of Chinese arrived in an old tug near Coffs Harbour in northern New
South Wales.

Police have so far found 60 of its passengers who walked away from the boat.

AAP sp/wz/jn

KEYWORD: BOAT WA (PERTH)

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