-
Kevin Rudd - Source: Reuters -
Related
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will discuss people smuggling with Indonesian leaders in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Rudd flew in to Jakarta on Monday night to attend Tuesday's inauguration of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who was re-elected in July.
But Rudd will also be seeking new strategies to deal with the influx of asylum seekers into Australian waters.
The issue is shaping up as a test for the government, which has adopted a more compassionate border protection policy than its predecessors but is trying to portray a tougher image as more asylum seekers arrive.
Rudd is expected to provide Indonesia with more financial assistance to deal with people smugglers and asylum seekers, on top of the $20 million it already provides.
The federal opposition wants Rudd to press Yudhoyono to finally introduce long-promised tough penalties for people smuggling.
The Australian Greens want Mr Rudd to press Yudhoyono to sign the United Nations Refugee Convention, to ensure asylum seekers that end up there receive fair treatment.
Yudhoyono came to the Rudd government's aid last week when he ordered his navy to intercept a boat bringing more than 250 Tamil asylum seekers to Australia.
Those asylum seekers are now refusing to leave their boat in western Java.
Leaders of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei will also attend Yudhoyono's inauguration.
