Asylum seeker influx the highest on record

A record number of asylum seekers and boats have been apprehended in Australian waters in the first two months of the year, an analysis of official records reveals.

As a result of the influx, the Opposition has dubbed 2010 the "Year of the People Smuggler".

The 14th boat intercepted in Australian waters this year was stopped on Saturday morning, 16 nautical miles north of Ashmore Island.

It was carrying 10 passengers and three crew members. They will be processed on Christmas Island, where 1720 boat people are already held.

It comes as procedures used by Australian Customs and the Navy for boarding illegal vessels are reviewed in an effort to make interceptions safer following the Siev 36 boat explosion, in which five asylum seekers died.

The new head of Border Protection Command, Rear Admiral Tim Barrett, said a review would seek to ensure that defence and customs - which both patrol Australia's maritime borders - have consistent procedures for boarding boats. "The role that this particular incident has shown us is that there are certain procedures you need to do when conducting boardings," he said.

"I want to formalise a review of consistency across Border Protection Command. I want to make sure there is a sense of consistency whether it is a customs boat or a navy boat. You want to do it quickly, efficiently and, more importantly, safely."

The monsoon season usually convinces people not to make the risky journey to Australia during summer but on average two boats a week have been intercepted during the first two months of the year, carrying more than 700 people.

At the same time last year, government records show just one refugee boat carrying 20 people had entered Australian waters, despite 2009 registering the largest number of interceptions since 1999's record 86 vessels.

Even when the number of boat people reaching Australia peaked a decade ago, the most vessels stopped in the first two months of the year was nine in both 1999 and 2000.

The Rudd Government has blamed the surge in boat arrivals on war in Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Iraq, with Homes Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor saying people smuggling was a worldwide problem.

But shadow border protection minister Michael Keenan said the Government defied reality by failing to admit it had softened border protection.

"2010 is proving to be another boom year for people smugglers under the Rudd Government's failed border protection regime," he said.