Questions arising from the Budget supplementary estimates-November
2003
QUESTION W12
SIEV X-Harbour Master document
Senator Collins
a) Has Defence received a copy of the apparently official
Indonesian document from the Harbour Master at Sunda Kelapa Port,
North Jakarta dated 24 October 2001? b) Why did the Gates review of
intelligence pertaining to SIEV X report the "absence of positional
data from either SIEV X itself or the fishing boats that rescued the
survivors" without examining the existence of a report from the
Harbour Master in Jakarta?
RESPONSE
The Gates review was finalised on 4 July 2002. A facsimile of the
Harbourmasters document was received by the Public Affairs and
Corporate Communication Group via the media on 30 July 2002.
QUESTION W13
SIEV X-Corroboration of coordinates
Senator Kirk
In the advice provided by Rear Admiral Gates to the Senate Inquiry
into a Certain Maritime Incident, he discounted the validity of the
Harbour Master coordinates at Sunda Kelapa Port. Rear Admiral Gates
stated "In the absence of positional data from either SIEV X itself or
the fishing boats that rescued the survivors, Defence can only
speculate as to where the vessel foundered."
a) Given that the
coordinates 07 40 00S/105 09 00E were provided by the skipper of the
Arta Kencana 38, as the location in which the Indah Jaya Makmur found
the survivors, is Defence able to corroborate this information?
b) If not, why has this not been attempted?
c) Has the AFP at any time sought to have these coordinates
corroborated by Defence? If so, what was the outcome?
RESPONSE
a) No.
b) It is clear from the Harbour Master's report that the
coordinates were passed from one boat captain to another and then to
the Harbour Master (by unstated means) before being recorded in the
report. Information on the accuracy of the coordinates or their
navigational basis remains uncertain. In these circumstances, Defence
cannot confirm the veracity of the coordinates.
c) No.
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