Nauru unlikely to be used for Asylum Seekers

Tuesday, September 13th, 2011

The Australian Government has indicated that Nauru is unlikely to be use for Asylum Seekers.

The Immigration Minister Chris Bowen has released financial estimates that reveal it would cost just under a billion dollars to process asylum seekers on Nauru over the next four years.

He’s labelled it an expensive and ineffective option

Australia’s Government will try instead to change the law so asylum seekers can again be processed at offshore centres such as Manus Island and Nauru.

The Government insists the decision will fulfill Australia’s obligations under the United Nations convention.

After the Australian High Court decision to grant a permanent injunction against the deportation of asylum seekers to Malaysia the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) spokesman Bishop Gerard Hanna on behalf of the Church offered to work with the Australian Government to find a more appropriate way of dealing with asylum seekers.

“The High Court has held that Australia must continue to process claims of any asylum seeker who arrives here,” he said.

“But now is not a time for celebration or recrimination”.

“Rather, now is the time for all people of good will to work together to find a better way of dealing with asylum seekers.”

Leaders of Australia’s major charities and social service groups have been joined by many other concerned organisations to sign a statement urging all political parties and Members of Parliament to de-politicise policies about the treatment of asylum seekers by immediately abandoning the policy of off-shore processing and focusing on policies that uphold Australia’s human rights obligations domestically and internationally.

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