AUSTRALIA: Govt to close Pacific detention camps
Updated
Australia's new Labor Government is making good its promise to close down the so-called 'Pacific Solution', that's seen asylum seekers accommodated and processed on Nauru and on Manus Island in PNG.
It estimated more than 300-million Australian dollars has been spent operating the remote island detention camps - and the Rudd government wants to use the money elsewhere.
A team of officials has flown to Nauru, hoping to resolve the cases of more than 80 refugees from Burma and Sri Lanka who are still being held there.
Presenter: Peta Donald
Speakers: Australia's Immigration Minister, Chris Evans
DONALD: The Pacific Solution, a symbol of the Howard Government's tough response to asylum seekers is now being dismantled. The new Immigration Minister is Chris Evans.
EVANS: Well the task force of officials from the Immigration Department and ASIO left last night for Nauru. They will be seeking to process the remaining people on Nauru as quickly as possible in accordance with migration act.
DONALD: So you would expect the seven Burmese who have been found to be refugees will have Christmas in Brisbane?
EVANS: I'm hopeful that those Burmese will be returned in the next week or two in time for Christmas. There is no reason why they should not be processed quickly. In fact in my view, they should have been processed sometime ago. But we're keen to resolve their issues. There is a suggestion from the onsite medical people that there is a real risk to their mental health and so we're keen to get them off provided they meet all the proper regulations.
DONALD: Seventy four Sri Lankans are set to follow within a couple of months, although it could take longer to deal with seven other Sri Lankans facing criminal charges on Nauru.
Labor has facted in savings worth two million dollars a month from closing the detention camps, savings it had planned to start making from the 1st January.
EVANS: Look, I think it will take a bit longer to finally resolve all the matters, but the savings to the budget will be there. They might be delayed a couple of months, but effectively Nauru and Manus Island has been costing the Australian taxpayer a great deal of money. We are going to end that arrangement, but we have to also negotiate with those countries who have acted in good faith with us to ensure that there is a sort of settlement.
DONALD: David Mann is the coordinator of the Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre, that's representing the Burmese and some of the Sri Lankan men on Nauru.
MANN: I just spoke minutes ago with them and look they were very happy, extremely relieved about the news and are really looking forward to being able to rebuild their lives and to make a real contribution in the future in Australia.
DONALD: While David Mann is thrilled an end to the Pacific solution is in sight, he wants the new government to revisit other elements of the system. He is not impressed that 16 Indonesians are being sent home from Christmas Island, rejected as refugees without being offered independent legal advice.
MANN: Now that remains a very serious concern, particularly given that access to legal health in such circumstances is fundamental human right.
DONALD: But the new minister is standing firm.
EVANS: The excision of violence like Christmas Island will remain, so there will be remaining capacity to house people on Christmas Island. So there is no suggestion of us weakening the policy in terms of border security and intercepting boats headed towards Australia. But we do think we can provide a more balanced migration system and one where people are treated with appropriate respect and that will certainly be part of our approach.
