A group of almost 40 people, reportedly from Pakistan and Bangladesh, were found on Friday near an Indigenous community close to the former West Australian church mission of Beagle Bay.

The men have since been flown to an offshore detention centre on the Pacific island of Nauru.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton accused the government of beginning to “lose control again of our borders” and of not supporting Operation Sovereign Borders.

But former deputy secretary of the immigration department Abul Rizvi said the language used by politicians could lead to more boat arrivals.

“If people smugglers are able to convince potential people who may wish to come to Australia by boat, that the difference in the rhetoric is something they can take advantage of … we may if that happens, see a rise in boats,” Rizvi said.

“I would counsel politicians on either side not to inflame the rhetoric in this space.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the remarks from the coalition jeopardised security efforts.

“Peter Dutton is someone who is showing, with his overblown rhetoric and with his overreach on this issue, that he’s not interested in outcomes that are in the Australian national interest,” he said.

“Peter Dutton needs to think very carefully about the role that he is playing, and I think it’s there for all to see whether he’s interested in the national interest, or interested in just playing politics.”

Dutton said it was the government, not his public comments, that entice people smugglers.

“Nobody’s politicising the issue, I think we’re pointing out the fact the government is making significant errors here,” he said.

“They have closed down one of the important legs of Operation Sovereign Borders which is the temporary protection visas because people smugglers are really smart.”

Rizvi said he had not seen any evidence there had been a reduction in resourcing for the Australian Border Force to patrol the nation’s shores.

“The statistics and the allocation of resources in this space is not entirely transparent and it would be good if the government were to explain what has happened in terms of resourcing,” he said.

Albanese has confirmed he spoke with Operation Sovereign Borders commander Rear Admiral Brett Sonter on Sunday, after three groups of boat arrivals had reportedly been found.

The commander has said alternative narratives had the potential to be used by people smugglers.

Dutton said the government needed to explain how many boats had arrived and how they were able to evade detection.

– AAP