Australian Government
Department of Immigration and Citizenship
MEDIA RELEASE
23 August 2013
Torres Strait arrivals sent to PNG under Regional Settlement Arrangement
Two Somali nationals who arrived by boat via the Torres Strait were part of a group of 40 asylum seekers transferred to Papua New Guinea (PNG) as part of the new Regional Settlement Arrangement, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) confirmed today.
Under the new arrangement - which was signed with PNG on July 19 - unauthorised maritime arrivals are sent to PNG for assessment and, if found to be refugees, will be settled there.
“People found not to be refugees may be returned to their home country or a country where they had a right of residence, or held in a transit facility,” a DIAC spokesman said.
The charter flight, with the tenth group of 38 single adult men – consisting of five Bangladeshis, one Lebanese, three Afghans and 29 Iranians– escorted by the Australian Federal Police, DIAC staff, interpreters and medical staff, departed Christmas Island at about 10pm last night. The two Somali Nationals were picked up from Darwin as the plane refuelled.
The group arrived in Manus Province at about 7.30am and were transferred to the regional processing centre where they will be accommodated while their refugee claims are processed by the PNG Government.
There is no cap on the number of people who can be transferred to PNG and transfers will continue on a regular basis. Women, children and unaccompanied minors will be transferred in due course as appropriate arrangements are made.
Australia is working with PNG to expand the Manus Island regional processing centre, as well as exploring the construction of other regional processing centres in PNG.
“If people are paying thousands and thousands of dollars to a people smuggler, they are buying a ticket to a country other than Australia,” the spokesman added.
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