June 10  Fairfax Media reveals Indonesian claims that Australian officials paid tens of thousands of dollars to a people-smuggling crew so they would turn back. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Immigration Minister Peter Dutton deny this.

June 11  Indonesian government says it will launch an investigation as Mr Dutton again denies the allegations.

June 12  Prime Minister Tony Abbott refuses to deny that Australia made the payments, saying Australia had been "creative" in doing "whatever it takes" to stop the boats – "by hook or by crook".

June 13-14  Indonesia ups the pressure on the government as Mr Abbott continues his refusal to confirm or deny the allegations. Ministers now fall into line with this approach.

June 15  Labor demands the Auditor-General investigate the claims. Ms Bishop attacks Indonesia, telling it to secure its own borders instead of blaming Australia for people-smuggling issues. Former immigration minister Philip Ruddock says paying people smugglers would save money compared with processing asylum seekers, while backbencher Andrew Laming dismisses it as a "zero issue". The UNHCR expresses alarm that Australia may have breached a cornerstone of the refugee convention.

June 16 Fairfax Media reports that payments were made to people smugglers for at least four years, including under the former Labor government. Labor remains tight-lipped on the new accusations, citing operational and security concerns, although Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says Labor "did not pay people smugglers to turn around boats".