The bleeding hearts don't like it

Two centuries ago you were sent to the prison hulks for stealing bread ? today you might get a berth for stealing fish. The original convicts from England and Ireland were incarcerated for paltry crimes such as stealing a loaf of bread, but the modern day convicts will be detained at sea for stealing fish. Customs plans to use the armed, purpose-built prison ship to hold up to 30 asylum seekers and illegal fishermen for a month at a time under Customs' new border security provisions. The Australian Customs Service is seeking to lease a civilian vessel - for $10 million a year - to act as a floating detention centre for extended periods, The Australian newspaper reported. The paper reported that Customs' concerns that its patrols had to make long voyages returning to port after intercepting illegal boats prompted the move.

However, Opposition customs spokesman Joe Ludwig said detaining illegal fishermen aboard the floating prison for a month would be "cruel". "The tender put out by Customs seems to be another stop-gap measure to protect our northern shores,'' Senator Ludwig told reporters today. "It seems to be a patchwork solution to what seems to be a very serious problem of illegal fishers entering our northern waters.'' "What you are going to have is illegal fishers being held in detention on a boat out at sea for 30 days in the ship's brig. "It seems a little bit cruel to me, quite frankly.''

Customs said the ship would be converted, at further cost, to hold up to 30 detainees, plus a full crew and 30 government officials "for a minimum of 30 days" and would be fitted with heavy machine-guns, inflatable dinghies, a quarantine zone, isolation area and exercise deck. "The new vessel will provide significant additional support to Customs and navy patrol boats already engaged in responding to and apprehending illegal vessels," Customs Minister Chris Ellison told the newspaper. "It will have the capability to remain at sea for extended periods and operate independently in all waters around Australia."

The opposition has criticised the ship as being a "patchwork approach" to border protection. "A major concern is the presence of civilian crew in an operational environment where weapons like firearms could reasonably be expected to be used," the paper quoted opposition Customs spokesman Joe Ludwig as saying. "We want to know whether there will be an Australian crew who will be given access to special training for law enforcement weapons (and) protective gear."

Source

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