Boat test for our new PM

THE timing could not be worse for Scott Morrison, chief architect of the “stop the boats” policy.

Our latest Prime Minister has barely been in the job for a day and is already dealing with Australia’s first potential illegal boat people crisis in four years.

The next 24 hours will be a telling test for the new PM, with the whole country looking directly at him for leadership.

Peter Dutton’s failed attempt at coming up trumps in his coup means Australia is currently without an immigration minister.

Morrison has experience in that field — he took on the portfolio in 2013-14, right when the so-called boat people issue was on everybody’s lips.

He initiated the controversial Operation Sovereign Borders which gave military personnel responsibility for heading off unauthorised asylum seekers caught at sea and denying them entry to Australia.

Despite being roundly howled down by the Human Rights Commission for the conditions of children placed in offshore detention, it achieved its desired objective.

We have not had a boat get through — that we know of, at least — in years.

This latest arrival could be the sign of things to come.

Or it could simply be a case of illegal beche-de-mer fishermen being caught in a rickety old boat taking on water, and making an unwise dash for freedom when they were caught.

Either way, any men who manage to temporarily elude capture will be having a very difficult time.

There are few landscapes less forgiving than the Daintree rainforest. Chris Calcino chris.calcino@news.com.au