Ten years to the day a boat carrying asylum seekers sank with the loss of 353 lives, another boat has been intercepted with the passengers again seeking Australia's protection.

"We should all reflect on this sad day in which men, women and 146 children drowned," Greens' immigration spokesperson, Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, said today.

"A decade since that tragedy, at least four other boats have sank or been shipwrecked, with the loss of more than 255 lives.

"The latest boat marooned on Scott Reef demonstrates that people are still taking that dangerous journey by boat because they want Australia's help and need our protection.

"A decade on, the major parties continue to use the same language to denigrate fragile people and maintain the false hysteria that Australia is constantly under attack by asylum seekers.

"There are two positives to note this year - the High Court's ruling off-shore assessments is now illegal, and the resumption of on-shore checking of claims for protection, even if this has been done somewhat reluctantly by the government.

"The Greens hope the government and other proponents of mandatory detention will come to realise years of demonising people who use boats to flee persecution diminishes us a country."