Prime Minister Tony Abbott has said the government will use whatever incentives or deterrents are reasonably necessary to stop the boats in response to allegations of bribes paid to people smugglers.

Indonesia has reportedly sworn to investigate reports that a crew of smugglers were given money by the Australian government to turn back their boats laden with refugees.

On Friday morning, radio host Neil Mitchell put eleven questions about the matter to the PM, who refused to confirm or deny the report.

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“The Australian government will do whatever it needs to do to keep this evil trade stopped,” was Mr Abbott’s almost identical response each time.

At one stage, the veteran journalist — who described paying people smugglers as “almost a crime” — can be heard to sigh in exasperation.

“What we do is stop the boats by hook or by crook because that’s what we’ve got to do,” Mr Abbott repeated.

Foreign Ministry official Arrmanatha Nasir told Fairfax Media earlier in the week the allegations were being investigated and were “very concerning” if true.

The Prime Minister’s contrasted that of his immigration minister, Peter Dutton, who outright denied the allegations earlier in the week.

The allegation is that Australian customs officials paid a total of US$30,000 to the crew of a boat headed for New Zealand.

Another Indonesian official, foreign ministry information director general Esti Andayani, said paying smugglers would be counterproductive.

“We are concerned it will inspire people to do it [take asylum seekers on boats] because they’ll get money.”

-with AAP.