Prime minister elect says the military-led plan to stop boats carrying asylum seekers will begin as soon as he is sworn in

This article is more than 7 years old

This article is more than 7 years old

Operation Sovereign Borders, the military-led plan to stop boats carrying asylum seekers, will begin on Wednesday, prime minister elect Tony Abbott said.

On Monday, in his first press conference since the federal election, Abbott announced his cabinet and front bench and told reporters in Canberra that the hardline immigration action will begin when he is sworn into office on Wednesday.

"I am absolutely determined to stop the boats as quickly as we can," he said, adding that the policy would make a difference "from day one".

"Do I think that the boats will stop dead on day one of an incoming government? I wish. But it may not happen," Abbott said.

Under Operation Sovereign Borders, all government agencies involved in border protection will come under the command of a single three-star military commander reporting directly to the immigration minister.

Operation Sovereign Borders contains plans to turn back boats to Indonesian waters "when it is safe to do so".

Abbott added that the general in charge of the plan will be announced shortly, with recent reports suggesting that the Department of Defence will promote a general rather than pick from the current three-star elite.

Abbott confirmed that he plans to visit Jakarta later this month to meet the Indonesian president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Last week the Indonesian foreign minister, Marty Natalegawa, indicated he would "reject" some of the Coalition's plans to curb boat migration.

On Monday the incoming Australian foreign minister, Julie Bishop, said she was confident the Coalition government would be able to implement all of its asylum seeker policies without violating Indonesian sovereignty.

Bishop said she would discuss the asylum seeker issue with Natalegawa at a scheduled trip to the United Nations over the weekend.

"What we have in place is a series of policies that we intend to implement by legislation and operationally, and they will not breach Indonesia's sovereignty," she told Sky News.

"We're not asking for Indonesia's permission, we're asking for their understanding.

"Of course all relationships require managing, but there is a level of mutual respect between Indonesia and Australia and we will maintain that.

"We've said there will be a no-surprises policy with Indonesia and we will talk through all these issues."