Misleading parliament is one nicety it seems Abbott government ministers are not prepared to flout. International law, promised transparency and putting evil people smugglers out of business are very different matters.

In question time on Monday, two ministers who last week answered a curt “no” to whether Australia had paid people smugglers refused to repeat the denial.

Immigration and Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton ignored it completely and instead attacked Labor for failing to “stop the boats”.

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Foreign Minister Julie Bishop refused to answer on the grounds that ministers don’t comment on intelligence, security or operational matters.

The most obvious conclusion is that ministers were not prepared to risk lying to parliament in case Indonesia’s current investigations confirm what a regional police chief and witnesses claim they saw.

Namely, $US30,000 was paid in $100 bills for the captain and crew of an asylum seeker boat to turn back to Java.

Three times in his interview with 3AW on Friday, the Prime Minister said “by hook or by crook” his government would do what is necessary to keep our country safe and this evil trade is stopped.

Rohingya migrants resting on a boat off the coast near Kuala Simpang Tiga in Indonesia’s East Aceh. Photo: AAP

Never mind conflating national security with border security. Desperate, unarmed men, women and children seeking either economic opportunity, or as in a majority of cases, protection from persecution are equated to an invading army.

That distinction was shrouded in khaki as Operation Sovereign Borders was given the full military treatment including more secrecy than a commando operation in World War II.

That secrecy is hiding a multitude of dubious activities. Mr Abbott all but admitted it to interviewer Neil Mitchell. He praised our agencies for being “incredibly creative”. It explains the “crook”.

Opposition Immigration Spokesman Richard Marles. Photo: ABC

Labor accused the government of a perverse incentive for the people smugglers Mr Abbott has vowed to put out of business. Why wouldn’t they try again for another pay day?

“Surely,” shadow minister Richard Marles asked, “Australian taxpayers have a right to know how their money is being used.”

International law expert, professor Don Rothwell, says paying people smugglers is a breach of international law. The Prime Minister clearly believes the public has no interest in such niceties.

Voters, though, can’t have been impressed with being taken for mugs. Outside parliament Attorney-General George Brandis said he didn’t believe such payments had been made.

Defence Minister Kevin Andrews was also forthcoming. As far as he is aware, he says, handing over cash “has not arisen in relation to defence force personnel”.

According to one report it was in fact our spies doling out the dough. Agents from the Australian Security Intelligence Service, unlike our military, are no strangers to the dark arts.

Ms Bishop’s parliamentary answer certainly fits in with this scenario.

Tony Abbott’s assurance on Friday that we have “very good relations” with Indonesia is at best a stretch especially as our ambassador has been asked for a please explain.

Jakarta may get a satisfactory answer a long time before the Australian public does.

Don’t count on either proposition.

Paul Bongiorno AM is a veteran of the Canberra Press Gallery, with 40 years’ experience covering Australian politics. He is Contributing Editor for Network Ten, appears on Radio National Breakfast and writes a weekly column on national affairs for The New Daily. He tweets at @PaulBongiorno

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