Australian immigration minister delivers hardline message on illegal boat arrivals
Australian immigration minister
delivers hardline message on illegal boat arrivals
Australia's Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Scott
Morrison visited all three processing centre sites on Nauru today
(9 Oct) to deliver a hard and clear message to asylum seekers that
the rules on illegal boat arrivals are now stronger and
tougher.
The minister said the strong policy is put in place to prevent
people from attempting to arrive in to Australia illegally by
sea.
"People who arrive by boat illegally in Australia will not be
resettled in Australia."
"We [Australia] are increasing the level of police and other
cooperation in the region and those arranging these voyages will be
arrested and prosecuted with crimes related to people smugglers,"
Mr Morrison said.
The minister said this also applied to those already in
Australia.
"It will not matter if they are family or friends, they will be
prosecuted and their Australian visa cancelled, regardless whether
they are refugees or not."
With the aide of interpreters Mr Morrison spoke to two groups of
asylum seekers at the two camps accommodating families and single
adult males.
"People smugglers told you lies and you should tell your friends
and families not to believe those lies because you will not get
what you came for."
All claims for asylum will be processed under Nauruan law. If a
claim has a positive outcome, that asylum seeker will remain on
Nauru until a resettlement country other than Australia, is
nominated; and any negative outcome will also see the asylum seeker
remain on Nauru until arrangements are made to have that person
moved back to their home country.
Mr Morrison encouraged those who wished to return home do so
with the assistance of service providers at the RPC and the
International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
Throughout his visit, Mr Morrison was accompanied by Nauru's
Minister for Justice and Border Control David Adeang, the
Australian High Commissioner Bruce Cowled and senior staff from
both delegations.
The official delegation also inspected the staff accommodation
blocks being constructed in Anibare District, before a meeting with
local government officials at the parliament conference room.
Mr Morrison then met with members of the Opposition at the
Australian High Commission before departing later in the afternoon
(9 Oct) on a Royal Australian Air Force plane back to
Australia.
Minister Morrison was accompanied on this visit by Chief of
Staff Robert Correll and DIAC First Assistant Secretary and
Regional Processing Centre Support Ken Douglas. They arrived in
Nauru yesterday (8 Oct) afternoon, inspected the RoN Hospital and
later attended a dinner reception hosted by His Excellency
President Baron Waqa and Madam Waqa.
This is Mr Morrison's first trip to Nauru as an Australian
government minister.