▁prepar ing ▁to ▁send ▁a ▁boat ▁with ▁ 2 4 ▁Sri ▁L ank ans ▁and ▁ 1 0 ▁Indians , ▁including ▁ 1 1 ▁women ▁and ▁seven ▁children ▁[ to ▁Australia ▁or ▁New ▁Zealand ]" ▁Jan ▁ 2 0 1 9 : ▁" A ▁fish ing ▁boat ▁with ▁between ▁ 1 0 0 - 2 0 0 ▁people ▁on ▁board ▁is ▁reported ly ▁on ▁its ▁way ▁to ▁Australia ▁or ▁New ▁Zealand , ▁according ▁to ▁media ▁reports ▁qu oting ▁local ▁police ▁in ▁India . ▁The ▁vessel ▁left ▁a ▁port ▁in ▁the ▁southern ▁state ▁of ▁Ker ala ▁on ▁ 1 2 th ▁of ▁January " ▁ ▁Ref uge e ▁advoc ates ▁have ▁claimed ▁that ▁the ▁John ▁Key ▁and ▁the ▁National ▁government ▁is ▁sc are - m ong ering ▁over ▁as yl um ▁seek ers ▁in ▁a ▁manner ▁similar ▁to ▁that ▁deployed ▁in ▁Australian ▁politics . ▁There ▁has ▁been ▁at ▁least ▁one ▁boat ▁that ▁likely ▁would ▁have ▁made ▁it ▁to ▁New ▁Zealand , ▁the ▁And ika . ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁le aked ▁intelligence ▁reports ▁to ▁Australian ▁media ▁suggested ▁" Austral ian ▁authorities ▁reported ly ▁turned ▁around ▁four ▁new ▁boats ▁just ▁before ▁Christmas ▁[ 2 0 1 7 ], ▁and ▁intelligence ▁sources ▁have ▁said ▁Ar dern ' s ▁critic isms ▁of ▁Australia ' s ▁refuge e ▁policy ▁are ▁the ▁likely ▁cause . ▁However ▁former ▁Australian ▁Border ▁Force ▁Commission er ▁Roman ▁Qu a ed v lie g , ▁said ▁before ▁the ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁attempt ▁from ▁Malays ia ▁there ▁"