Whena freighter, the Tampa , having rescued 400 refugees from almost certain drowning, approached Australia 's shores, the Canberra government sent special forcesto prevent traumatised men, women and children from landing. In full battle kit, the soldiers steered the refugees to miserable conditions on remote Pacific islands, where several contracted malaria. In their attempts to justify this contravention of the most basic of human rights, the right of refuge, Prime Minister Howard and his ministers lied that another group of refugees had thrown their children overboard as a sacrificial means of attracting attention. "I find that [the refugees' behaviour] is against the natural instinct," said Howard. These people, said a senator, "are repulsive . . . and unworthy of Australia ". The then Labor Party leader, Kim Beazley, joined in the condemnation, to the disgust of almost everyone. In fact, the refugees had jumped from their leaking craft when an Australian warship fired across its bows. No children had been "thrown overboard", admitted Australia 's naval chief, in a rare contradiction of his political master.