Chart of the day: What does it mean when the Government says the boats have stopped?

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Australians are used to hearing the Government has "stopped the boats", but does the familiar three-word slogan match the reality of what's happening on the high seas?

The last time a boat containing asylum seekers arrived in Australia's immigration zone and its passengers were processed by Australian authorities under Operation Sovereign Borders was in July 2014.

But that doesn't mean people have stopped attempting to come to Australia by boat.

In fact, the last time a boat was intercepted under Operation Sovereign Borders was at the end of last year.

All the passengers of that boat were sent back to Sri Lanka.

The trend has slowed in recent years, however, with 55 people intercepted in 2016 and 60 people intercepted last year, down from 234 in 2015.

These numbers do not include a group of 17 Vietnamese nationals who made landfall in north Queensland last week and were reportedly transferred to Christmas Island.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Home Affairs did not confirm whether these individuals would be recorded under Operation Sovereign Borders, as asylum seekers intercepted near Australia's east coast are sometimes not.

What happens in the different categories?

Arrival: Asylum seekers are transferred to Australian immigration authorities for processing. In recent years this has taken place offshore on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea and on Nauru.

Asylum seekers are transferred to Australian immigration authorities for processing. In recent years this has taken place offshore on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea and on Nauru. Turnback : The removal of a boat and its occupants from Australian waters — passengers and crew are returned to their country of departure

The removal of a boat and its occupants from Australian waters — passengers and crew are returned to their country of departure Takeback : Australian immigration authorities work with the country of departure to return passengers and crew often at sea

Australian immigration authorities work with the country of departure to return passengers and crew often at sea Assisted return: Refers to a "vessel that is in distress; it is a SOLAS, safety-of-life-at-sea situation".

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Topics: immigration, refugees, australia