Australia signs deal to send 'boat people' to Papua New Guinea

[Mark]

Australia bans all illegal boat refugees from ever settling in the country and warns that all new unauthorised asylum-seekers will be sent to Papua New Guinea

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2370225/Australia-bans-ille...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/australia-signs...

No doubt getting their legislation in before the upcoming announcement:

The Australian government has banned all illegal boat refugees from ever settling in the country.  Mr Rudd announced on Friday that all new unauthorised asylum-seekers will be sent to Papua New Guinea (a nation riddled with crime, poverty and corruption) under a regional resettlement deal, declaring future boat refugees will have 'no chance' of staying in Australia as refugees.

The announcement by Kevin Rudd took the conservative opposition by surprise and horrified human rights advocates.

“This is a day of shame,” said Christine Milne, leader of the Australian Greens.

Malcolm Fraser, a former prime minister, called it “an abdication of our basic humanity”.

A developing nation with poor healthcare, high unemployment, a dubious human rights record and, in its capital, Port Moresby, one of the world’s worst crime rates, Papua New Guinea is an unlikely refugee destination.

“This really does say to the rest of the world that Australia is a very rich country which is prepared to pass the buck to a very poor country because a prime minister doesn't have the courage or the moral authority to do the right thing by refugees,” said Ms Milne.

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Mr Rudd has had discussions with  Papua New Guinea’s premier, Peter O’Neill, but has yet to reveal how much Australia will pay Papua New Guinea for relieving it of a heavy political burden. He said the resettlement programme, which will run for at least a year, “will not be inexpensive”.

You can expect the leaders of Papua New Guinea to have been offered a safe location in Australia for helping their government keep out the refugees!