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NewsMail Afternoon Edition Mon 30 Sep, 2013 Top Stories More Top Stories » Morrison denies Australia delayed sending help to doomed asylum boat By chief political correspondent Emma Griffiths Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has rejected claims that Australian authorities took too long to respond to distress calls from an asylum seeker boat which went down off the coast of Java, killing at least 31 people. Women and children were among those killed when an overloaded asylum boat sank just 50 metres from shore on Friday, with bodies and wreckage from the vessel washed up on a local beach. But Mr Morrison said claims from some survivors that Australian authorities took more than 26 hours to respond to their calls for help, were "offensive [and] wrong". The Minister was speaking as Prime Minister Tony Abbot headed to Jakarta for talks with Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. More » Milne's lawyers: police running 'bizarre' rape case PR campaign Two men granted bail over alleged involvement in bikie gang brawl Underestimate Clive Palmer at your peril, critics say RBA subsidiary's 'dirty deal' with Saddam Hussein revealed Six face court over deadly PNG trek attack Councillor seeks legal advice after grand final scuffle with Deputy Premier Bryan Green More Analysis » Asylum seeker problem won't quietly go away The deaths of 24 asylum seekers at sea are an unspeakable tragedy which should cause Australians to reject cruel policies which are evidently still incapable of deterring the perilous journeys. But the tragedy and the response to it also shows why attempts to slow the 24-hour news cycle in general - and hide the failure of asylum seeker policy in particular - are doomed to failure. As the Government has now learned, if it chooses not to speak, someone else will fill the vacuum. You can't change the fundamentals of the 24-hour news cycle. More » The new economic nationalism The best thing about living in the 'burbs Stopping the boats is not going to plan Asylum seeker policy: cruel to be cruel In a smelly situation, nose knows best The IPCC report: busting the climate myths While Labor looks inwards, Abbott goes untested Party reform is an idea whose time has come Name and shame not the answer to young offenders Just In More Just In » Best mates set for grand final rivalry: Foran Manly's Kieran Foran says his friendship with the Roosters' Mitchell Pearce will not get in the way of grand final glory. More » Morrison denies Australia delayed sending help to doomed asylum boat Coalition's emissions target in spotlight after IPCC climate report Six face court over deadly PNG trek attack Bushfire season: 1.3m NSW homes at 'high-risk' Two men granted bail over alleged involvement in bikie gang brawl Labor leadership contenders take debate to Perth Man kept in custody over inner Sydney murder Stabbing-murder inquest told of police failures Roughead backs Hawks with or without Buddy World More World » Israel announces arrest of Iranian 'spy' Middle East correspondent Matt Brown, agencies Israel says an Iranian-born man accused of spying for Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards has been caught with photos of the United States embassy in Tel Aviv. More » Plane skids off runway at Rome airport Deadline looms for US government shutdown Right-wing Greek leader arrested in police sweep after murder Kenya criticises US over 'unfriendly' travel warning Tourists dive into Thames after boat fire Business More Business » RBA subsidiary's 'dirty deal' with Saddam Hussein revealed By Connie Agius A company owned by the Reserve Bank of Australia made illegal attempts to strike a business deal with brutal Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. A joint Four Corners/Fairfax Media investigation uncovered secret files showing officials from the RBA's Note Printing Australia (NPA) went to Iraq in 1998 to discuss the sale of plastic banknotes to Iraq. They met with Saddam's brother-in-law Arshad Yassin, who documents said was "willing to open all doors for us". The deal was called off six months later after Australian diplomats uncovered the NPA's dealings with the Saddam regime. More » RBA left with room for a rate cut after inflation measure shows prices remain low Deadline looms for US government shutdown Fact Check: gas crisis? Politics More Politics » Morrison denies Australia delayed sending help to doomed asylum boat By chief political correspondent Emma Griffiths Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has rejected claims that Australian authorities took too long to respond to distress calls from an asylum seeker boat which went down off the coast of Java, killing at least 31 people. Women and children were among those killed when an overloaded asylum boat sank just 50 metres from shore on Friday, with bodies and wreckage from the vessel washed up on a local beach. But Mr Morrison said claims from some survivors that Australian authorities took more than 26 hours to respond to their calls for help, were "offensive [and] wrong". The Minister was speaking as Prime Minister Tony Abbot headed to Jakarta for talks with Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. More » Coalition's emissions target in spotlight after IPCC climate report SA Attorney-General warns on Debelle pursuit Abbott urged to 'quickly' move on from boats issue Church backs Inverbrackie, angering Federal Government Sport More Sport » Best mates set for grand final rivalry: Foran Manly's Kieran Foran says his friendship with the Roosters' Mitchell Pearce will not get in the way of grand final glory. More » Roughead backs Hawks with or without Buddy Richmond holds on to Martin Fa'aoso to miss decider with fractured vertebrae Q and Al: NRL Grand Final Preview Bennett staying at Knights: report Science and Technology More Science and Technology » Breakthrough brings cure for MS sufferers closer Scientists are hailing the discovery of 48 genetic variants which influence the risk of a person getting multiple sclerosis as a breakthrough that brings them a step closer to finding a cure. More » IPCC delivers worrying climate report card Human role in global warming even clearer, IPCC report says Mars soil analysis reveals surprising amount of water Man grows replacement nose on forehead Environment More Environment » Coalition's emissions target in spotlight after IPCC climate report By Katie Hamann Climate scientists say the Government will need to rethink its commitment to a 5 per cent carbon emissions reduction target in the wake of last week's release of the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. More » Activist plans to appeal against detention in Russia NSW desalination plant deal to cost consumers $10 billion Fukushima operator seeks reactor restart IPCC delivers worrying climate report card About this email You received this email because you are subscribed to ABC News email alerts. 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