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National
  2:02 pm AEST February 18 2000
Immigration Minister plays down report of boat people influx
AAP -- Immigration minister Phillip Ruddock said today he was aware of "consolidations" of people in Indonesia poised to leave illegally for Australia but he had no information to suggest a large influx of boat people was imminent.

Mr Ruddock was responding to a report in today's Age newspaper that more than 1,000 illegal immigrants were expected to arrive on Australian shores over the next few days in the single biggest load of boat people in the nation's history.

Intelligence sources had reported the boat people were on their way from Indonesia and were due to arrive in northern Australia today or over the weekend, the newspaper said.

One vessel was believed to have up to 700 people on board, while Australian Coastwatch had another ship carrying about 350 people under surveillance.

Mr Ruddock said he was not aware of precise numbers of people but said there were reports of people consolidating in Indonesia.

"There are reports that suggest there has been consolidation going on in Indonesia in relation to people who've been gathering there over a long period of time, very frustrated at the fact they had not been able to move before this," Mr Ruddock told ABC radio.

"And there is talk that there have been a number of consolidations put together which might involve numbers of people which (The Age) has mentioned.

"At this point ... I have no information that would confirm that a boat of that size has left Indonesia.

"But it is certainly the case that we have information that suggests that a consolidation of that size is being worked on."

Mr Ruddock said the Australian government was working with Jakarta authorities to prevent any planned departures.
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