The Federal Government must have gone to extraordinary lengths to conceal the reported arrival of 20 Sri Lankan asylum seekers on Christmas Island, its Shire President has said.

Key points: The asylum seekers have been returned to Sri Lanka, the Government says

The asylum seekers have been returned to Sri Lanka, the Government says The island's Shire President has accused the Government of "sinister" conduct

The island's Shire President has accused the Government of "sinister" conduct Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton denies the group was "detained" on the island

A boat carrying the asylum seekers was recently intercepted by authorities near the island off Western Australia's north-west coast, the Government has confirmed.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said 20 people left Sri Lanka illegally in early May in a bid to enter Australia, and he understood they had now been returned to Sri Lanka.



The Australian newspaper has reported the asylum seekers were taken to Christmas Island and held "for a few days" for health and security checks, according to Government sources.

They were reportedly flown back to the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo this week after having their claims to asylum denied.

Christmas Island Shire President Gordon Thomson said he had no knowledge of any asylum seekers being brought to the island, and called the Government's conduct "sinister" if it was true.

It was announced in February that the island's immigration detention centre would reopen. ( AAP: Lloyd Jones )

Mr Thomson said shire officials had regular intergovernmental agency meetings, and at the last meeting a week ago an Australian Border Force official made no mention of any asylum seekers arriving.

He also expressed concern such an incident could go completely undetected by shire officials.

"I don't understand … it's quite a sinister approach to intergovernmental relations in my opinion," Mr Thomson said.

"It is consistent with the secret state policy of the Government in relation to Operation Sovereign Borders.

"If the Government has conducted a secret operation on the island, it's extraordinary, and they've gone to extraordinary lengths to conceal it."

Flights leave Christmas Island very infrequently, and Mr Thomson said he had not noticed any unscheduled flights departing the island recently.

'Not the only vessel we're worried about': Dutton

Speaking on Sydney radio station 2GB, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton described the arrival of the boatload of asylum seekers as a "disturbing development".

HMAS Glenelg has been spotted patrolling off Christmas Island in recent months. ( ABC News: Jon Sambell )

"Without going into the all of the detail, it's not the only vessel we're worried about," he said.

"Obviously people thought there was going to be a change of government and people smugglers have been marketing this.

"We've returned now people off ten vessels, almost 200 people, from Sri Lanka alone."

He later denied the asylum seekers had been "detained" on the island.

"The vessel in question didn't make it to Christmas Island … there was a suggestion that people were detained on Christmas Island in the immigration detention centre. That's not the case either," he said.

Albanese seeking security briefing from PM

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said he had sought a security briefing on the matter.

Christmas Island lies off WA's north coast and is closer to Indonesia than Australia. ( AAP: Mick Tsikas )

"I have put a phone call in, by the way, to Scott Morrison's office this morning," Mr Albanese said.

"I think it is the respectful thing to do, for me to have a discussion with the Prime Minister. I've taken that initiative."

Mr Dutton said the Coalition would brief Labor.

"Frankly we've given briefings to every Labor shadow minister and leader of the opposition for many years, they just don't listen to the advice. That's the problem," he told Sky News.

Mr Thompson said if the arrival of asylum seekers on Christmas Island was kept purposefully secret, he might have to appeal to a higher authority.

"Perhaps [to] the United Nations, and ask the United Nations to have a look at what the Australian Government is doing in secret on Christmas Island, a non-self-governing territory, a former colony, and still a bloody colony," he said.

Editor’s note (18/6/19): This article has been amended to more precisely reflect Michael McCormack's statement.