Peter Dutton makes mad dash to Sri Lanka to hold people-smuggler crisis meetings amid warnings more boats carrying asylum seekers are headed to Australia
- The Home Affairs Minister to discuss people smugglers with Sri Lanka's leaders
- Said he was 'disturbed' with interception of 20 asylum seekers two weeks ago
- Since been revealed up to six more boats could be en-route to Australian shores
- Will meet Sri Lanka's president, prime minister and others during two-day visit
Peter Dutton has rushed to Sri Lanka after reports boatloads of asylum seekers are on their way to Australia.
The Home Affairs Minister is expected to discuss people smugglers with Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and other officials during his two-day visit.
Mr Dutton said he was 'disturbed' with the interception of a vessel carrying 20 Sri Lankan asylum seekers off Australia's north-west coast two weeks ago, before it was revealed up to six more boats could be en-route.
Peter Dutton has rushed to Sri Lanka after reports boatloads of asylum seekers are on their way to Australia. He is pictured at St Sebastian's church, which was bomb during the Easter Sunday terror attacks, with Catholic priest Shameera Rodrigo
He will meet with the country's leaders on Tuesday to discuss measures to combat people smuggling - as well as terrorism in the wake of the Easter Sunday attacks, The Australian reported.
'The purpose of the visit is to prosecute Operation Sovereign Borders' interests and to engage Sri Lankan authorities on counter-terrorism matters,' Mr Dutton's spokeswoman said.
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'We greatly value the ongoing co-operation on regional maritime security.'
Mr Dutton refused to confirm if six boats could be on their way or have recently attempted journeys to Australia's shores, as was widely reported on Monday.
Mr Dutton said he was 'disturbed' with the interception of a vessel (pictured) carrying 20 Sri Lankan asylum seekers off Australia's north-west coast two weeks ago
But he did say the 'borders were being tested' because people smugglers had expected a Labor victory at last month's Federal Election.
'That was always the prediction: That a Labor government, given that Mr Shorten had walked away from Operation Sovereign Borders during the election campaign, that they were always going to be tested,' Mr Dutton told Sky News.
'I want people smugglers and those that might be organising syndicates here in Australia to hear the message from me very clearly, that is that we do have a return arrangement with Sri Lanka and with other countries and people will be returned.
Mr Dutton said the recent voyage of 20 asylum seekers travelling to Australia from Sri Lanka was to test an expected Labor government (stock)
'People are not coming here by boat and regardless of what people smugglers tell you, the Morrison Government, under the Prime Minister and myself, will not allow those people to arrive by boat.'
During Mr Dutton's flying visit to Sri Lanka he will lay a wreath at a bombed church where two Australians were killed on Easter Sunday.
In a statement on Monday night Mr Dutton said he had passed on the condolences of Australians following the bomb attacks on churches and hotels that left more than 250 people dead.
He visited St Sebastian's, one of the bombed churches, in the seaside town of Negembo where the two Australians of Sri Lankan origin were killed.
'We're here to continue to provide support as Sri Lanka rebuilds, particularly its tourism market, but the economy otherwise off the back of these horrific attacks,' he said.
The Sri Lankan tourism industry has crashed since the Easter attacks.
Mr Dutton is due to meet Sri Lanka' President Maithripala Sirisena (pictured), Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and other officials during a two-day visit ending on Tuesday
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