[Greens-Media] Government secrecy, search and rescue breakdown a dangerous mix

[Schultz-Byard, Noah (Sen S. Hanson-Young)]

MEDIA RELEASE

Thursday, 28 November 2013

Government secrecy, search and rescue breakdown a dangerous mix

The Australian Greens have warned that the continued break down of coordinated search and rescue operations between Indonesia and Australia, combined with the Australian Government's obsessive secrecy, has created an untenably dangerous situation.

"We now have a shroud of secrecy hanging over a potentially catastrophic situation in the Indian Ocean," the Greens' immigration spokesperson, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

"The government's media strategy, Operation Secret Boats, means that any search and rescue failure that ends in tragedy will be kept a secret.

"This is a sinister development and we should work to re-establish lifesaving cooperation between Australia and Indonesia as quickly as possible."

The Greens will move to recall the Immigration Department and the Commander of OSB to a special Senate Estimates hearing next week after both consistently refused to answer questions during a recent, farcical hearing.

"This government is determined to avoid any type of accountability, but the Australian people deserve to know what is being done in their names," Senator Hanson-Young said.

"When the department and Lieutenant General Angus Campbell are recalled I will ask again about the real world effects of the breakdown in search and rescue cooperation."


Media Contact: Noah Schultz-Byard 0427 604 760


NOAH SCHULTZ-BYARD  MEDIA ADVISER

OFFICE OF SENATOR SARAH HANSON-YOUNG
AUSTRALIAN GREENS SENATOR FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIA
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