Australian Twitterers immediately joined the discussion upon hearing the news, providing context and offering personal opinions.
KILLcade (Melbourne, Australia) This is an unbelievably chilling sign outside Broome Hospital in anticipation of the Asylum Seeker boat explosion: http://is.gd/sGBG
paulkidd (Drummond North, Australia) If Howard were still PM, this asylum-boat accident would be being spun as a terrorist act.
cannboys (Melbourne, Australia) I'm sure if Peter Reith and John Howard were still in charge, they'd find a way to blame the asylum seekers for the explosion on the boat...
seanbedlam (Melbourne, Australia) Sweet! My beautiful Australia is about to get stuck into boat people again! God I love my embarrassing, scared-of-refugees cuntry.
timjeffries (Preston, Australia) WA Premier says that asylum seekers lit their own boat on fire ... Are we in for another Tampa?
jasonlangenauer (Sydney, Australia) Poured petrol all over their boat? Like fun. Children overboard all over again.
News outlets and journalists in Australia used Twitter to add to the story.
TurnbullMalcolm (Sydney, Australia) just did a doorstop interview in Brisbane on the tragic explosion on the asylum seekers’ vessel of WA http://tinyurl.com/dnhqeo
SBSNews (Australia) Medics are being flown to a makeshift hospital in Western Australia to treat survivors of the asylum seeker boat blast: http://cli.gs/WRdyuB
earleyedition (Brisbane, Australia) editRT @jg_rat 1.boat in custody at time explosion 2.Details on WA Premier claim asylum seekers doused own boat in petrol http://is.gd/sGTA
