Bowen confirms Nauru asylum arrivals

14 Sep 2012, 7:33 pm   -   Source: AAP

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen says the first asylum seekers to be processed on Nauru have arrived without incident.

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The first asylum seekers to be processed on Nauru in four years have arrived and are settling into tent accommodation on the Pacific island.

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen told reporters in Sydney the first transfer of a group of men by aircraft from Christmas Island to Nauru on Friday morning had gone smoothly and without incident.

"Today is a significant day," Mr Bowen said.

He said people smugglers had been "peddling lies" that offshore processing would not happen.

Mr Bowen said work was continuing on other recommendations arising from an expert panel on asylum seeker police led by former defence chief Angus Houston and released last month.

"Implementing all of them is key to breaking the people-smugglers' business model," he said.

The minister said more transfers would occur next week and in weeks to come.

Decisions on who would be taken to Nauru would be made on operational grounds by the immigration department.

But Mr Bowen said a "broad cross section" of asylum seekers would be involved.

Asked if that included children, Mr Bowen said: "We are not going to provide loopholes for people to exploit."

Mr Bowen said the 30 single Sri Lankan men left at 6.30pm Christmas Island time on Thursday and had arrived on Nauru at 7.44am on Friday local time.

Asked what legal rights and representation the Nauru detainees would be granted, Mr Bowen said "they will receive the treatment as is outlined in the Houston panel".

"They will have their claims assessed under the refugee convention. There will be assistance in terms of those claims," he said.

"They will have the ability to seek representation."

Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison said there was a risk Nauru would be "overwhelmed" because of the government's delay in implementing the policy.

Speaking to reporters at a migration conference in Sydney, Mr Morrison said all asylum seekers should be transferred directly to Nauru without "their feet touching the ground in Australia".

"This policy works best ... when everybody goes straight to Nauru ... and preferably their feet not touching the ground in Australia," he told reporters.

Mr Morrison said the government was taking a "half-hearted" approach to offshore processing because of the delays in implementing the process and there was a risk Nauru would be overwhelmed because of the delays.

"If the government sits on a one-legged stool, they can't be surprised if it breaks, and that's what's happening," he said.

Mr Morrison said he was concerned asylum seekers in Nauru could still have access to the refugee review tribunal and reviews through the courts system.

"You cannot expect Howard government results if you don't put in place the full suite of Howard government measures," he said.

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