PRIME Minister Tony Abbott has not denied claims Australian officials paid people smugglers to turn back a boat filled with asylum seekers.

Mr Abbott told 3AW this morning that security agencies would do whatever it takes to stop the boats.

Reports emerged this week that Australian customs officials had paid people smugglers about $40,000 to return asylum seekers intercepted north of Australia to Indonesia last month.

The claims had previous been denied by both Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Immigration Minister Peter Dutton.

Mr Abbott avoided directly answering questions about whether Australian officials had paid, saying instead that he would “stop the boats by hook or by crook” but did not want to “go into how it’s done”.

“We don’t comment on operational matters. We are determined to ensure illegal boats don’t get to Australia,” he said.

“We will do whatever is reasonably necessary to protect our country from people smuggling and from the effect of this evil and damaging trade that cost lives.”

Labor responded to Mr Abbott’s comments, with Opposition Immigration Spokesman Richard Marles saying: “The Australian people need to know whether or not our government is paying people smugglers, because if they are, that is a very dangerous development indeed.”