the Australian Labor Party at its defeat in the 2001 federal elections". An appendix to their report documented cases where passengers aboard other SIEVs had threatened children, sabotaged their own vessels, committed self-harm and, in the case of SIEV 7 on 22 October, thrown a child overboard who was rescued by another asylum seeker. Scrafton revelations Michael Scrafton, a former senior advisor to Peter Reith, revealed on 16 August 2004 that he told Howard on 7 November 2001 that the Children Overboard claim might be untrue. Howard said that they only discussed the inconclusive nature of the video footage. In light of the new information, the Labor opposition called for further inquiry. On 29 August, Howard announced the 2004 federal election. On 1 September, a second inquiry composed mainly of non-government senators was convened. While the final report on 9 December found Scrafton's claims to be credible, government committee members questioned the reliability of Scrafton's recollections and wrote a minority dissenting report challenging that finding. See also Immigration to Australia Jane Halton, then Chair of the People Smuggling Taskforce Ruddock v Vadarlis SIEV X, which sank on 19 October 2001, just south of the Indonesian island of Java, killing 353 people References External links Australian Senate – Select Committee for an inquiry into A Certain Maritime Incident "A Certain Maritime Incident – Senate Select Committee Report, October 2002", full report (214 MB) at APH website, accessed 3 November 2018 About 45 leaked Australian NAVY photographs of the kids overboard, being rescued by the sailors Media releases by John Howard on the Scrafton claims Senate Select Committee on the Scrafton Evidence "Scrafton and Howard locked in dispute over children overboard" (transcript), by Matt Brown: The World Today (ABC Local Radio), 1 September 2004. "Indifference can be dangerous", by Shaun Carney, The Sydney Morning Herald, 8 April 2002. 2001 in Australia International maritime incidents Illegal immigration to Australia Suspected Illegal Entry Vessels Howard Government Migrant boat incidents