Wednesday, 12 November 2014
Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, the Hon. Scott Morrison today welcomed the Papua New Guinea Government's hand down of positive refugee status determinations to ten transferees at the Manus Offshore Processing Centre as a further sign of progress on the Regional Resettlement Arrangement left as a blank page under Labor.
'These first refugee determinations represent a key milestone in both Papua New Guinea's resettlement process and a regional solution in providing protection to refugees,' Minister Morrison said.
'The first ten determinations will be followed by approximately 40 a month.
'I congratulate the PNG Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Rimbink Pato and the PNG Government on the significant progress they have made to reach this stage.
'Those who have been found to be refugees will receive a refugee visa and will then be provided with initial services in Manus Province at an open facility at East Lorengau built by the Australian Government which will play a key role in transitioning people found to be refugees into the PNG community.
'Those issued visas will receive assistance with language and cultural orientation and case managers will provide support.
'Refugees will be in the community and will be eligible to seek employment.
'Today's development again demonstrates the positive relationship that exists between Australia and PNG on implementing the resettlement arrangement and the progress that is being made.
'When we came to Government we said we would salvage all we could from the regional resettlement arrangement announced by Labor prior to the election, and this is what we have been doing.
'When Labor announced this agreement they had no understanding of the difficulties involved in making this programme a reality. We effectively inherited a blank piece of paper from Labor on the resettlement arrangements and it has been important to allow the PNG Government to work through the many issues they need to resolve to enable this programme to be successful.
'Today's announcement, together with the upcoming transition of the Nauru Offshore Processing Centre to an open centre arrangement, represents a very positive development in offshore processing.
'However without turn backs the processing centres would have been quickly overwhelmed and resettlement in PNG would have been over before it even began. That is why you need the full suite of measures to stop the boats.
'Labor's rejection of turn backs not only disables them from stopping the boats, but it also effectively collapses the only other measure they are prepared to continue - namely offshore processing,' Minister Morrison said.
URL:http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/media/sm/2014/sm219151.htm
Last update: Thursday, 13 November 2014 at 09:21 AEST