Immigration Minister Chris Bowen admits an offshore processing centre on Nauru is not enough on its own to deter asylum seekers arriving by boat.With more than 500 asylum seekers intercepted by Australian authorities since last Friday, the opposition has called on the government to reintroduce the “true, tried and tested” policies of the Howard government.
Mr Bowen says the Gillard government is implementing the measures recommended by an expert panel, including reopening a detention centre on Nauru.
“Nauru by itself is not an effective deterrent,” he told ABC Radio on Monday.
But it was part of a “proper response” that included the Malaysia people-swap deal.
Mr Bowen blamed the continuing arrivals on the lies and spin of people smugglers and the fact that people processed on Nauru last time were resettled in Australia.
The opposition insists it has a policy that will halt “full stop” the flow of asylum seeker boats.
“They can be stopped again just as they were in the past,” senior Liberal Eric Abetz told reporters in Canberra on Monday, citing measures such as turning back boats and the reintroduction of temporary protection visas as well as offshore processing.
“It’s worked in the past, no reason why it can’t work again in the future,” Senator Abetz said.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is in Jakarta, where he will have talks with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on a variety of topics including people smuggling.
Mr Bowen was dismissive of what Mr Abbott would tell the president, saying Indonesia had made its opposition to turning back boats “crystal clear”.
“Now, if Mr Abbott has the guts to raise turning back the boats with Mr Yudhoyono, that will be a significant development considering he didn’t have the guts to raise it last time they met,” he said.
“Unless Mr Abbott can change that position then he is just all talk about turning back the boats.”
Australian Greens leader Christine Milne said people escaping appalling circumstances in Afghanistan or elsewhere and seeking a better life in Australia would not be deterred.
“What we should be doing is putting money into the camps in Indonesia,” Senator Milne told reporters, adding that asylum assessments there could be made quicker and more efficient
Source: The Australian Financial Review