The Australian Government released a report one year after the launch of Operation Sovereign Borders, confirming that 12 asylum seeker boats have been turned back under the policy. These boats carried a total of 383 asylum seekers. Immigration Minister Scott Morrison referenced the release to reaffirm the success of the policy.
The Anglican Archbishop of Sydney renewed calls to increase the humanitarian refugee intake from 13,750 to 20,000, given the lower number of boat arrivals to Australia. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said that the Labor party would consider the policy.
The United Nations called upon Egypt and other North African and European nations to investigate the allegations that people smugglers deliberately sank an asylum seeker boat in the Mediterranean. It emerged that two other asylum seeker vessels also sank during the week while attempting to cross the Mediterranean. The International Organization for Migration estimated that 700 people died in these incidents.