The Australian government is accusing New Zealand of being a gateway destination for people smugglers.
It also alleges that 130 Sri Lankan asylum seekers intercepted in Malaysia over the weekend were headed for New Zealand
"The other point is New Zealand and is now being marketed as a definite destination," Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton says.
"Those people cannot come to our country unless they're issued with a visa, and it's a very different story if you're coming out of Auckland or Wellington - you can jump on a plane into Sydney, Brisbane, and then claim protection or whatever the case might be."
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern won't say whether the vessel was bound for New Zealand or if it could even make it - only insisting such boats need to be stopped.
But she does agree New Zealand is being sold as a promised land for people willing to risk everything.
"The destination may not be New Zealand - in some cases it may, but it's all a marketing exercise by repugnant people risking people's lives," she said.
When former Prime Minister John Key changed the law in 2012 to detain so-called "boat people", Labour said they were scaremongering, expressing doubt that any of these vessels - which it labelled 'ghost ships' - could make it to New Zealand.
A moot point if a boat that is not capable of reaching New Zealand or if one is - either way, they must not be stopped.
And this isn't the first time Australia's attempted to blame New Zealand as a soft touch for asylum seekers targeting Australia.
The Prime Minister's been quick to say that New Zealand must be vigilant in case a boat makes it all the way here, but so far, not a single one has - and there's no evidence to suggest it even could.
Newshub.
