"Mr Turnbull isn't in a position to spruik Australia's record"

The Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is in New York for the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly. Mr Turnbull is also due to attend a special refugee summit hosted by U-S President Barack Obama.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) Source: AAP

He is expected to talk up Australia's immigration policies during the meeting.

Mr Turnbull says Australia has a strong message to share with what he's called one of the most successful refugee and border security systems in the world.

"We have one of the most generous humanitarian programs. Over 13,000 coming in through the humanitarian channel at the moment - rising every year, substantially increased. Over 18,000, plus 12,000 from the Syrian conflict zone. We have a very strong record but you cannot do that, and frankly public opinion will not accept a strong, generous humanitarian program - a substantial migration program - unless the government is seen to be in command of its borders."

The CEO of the charity World Vision Australia, Tim Costello, says Australia is largely spared from having to deal with the global refugee crisis.

He says Mr Turnbull isn't in a position to spruik Australia's record.

"A million refugees in tiny Lebanon with only five million people and half a million in Jordan with about three million ... so to actually draw any comparison of saying Australia is wonderfully generous when the sheer numbers, not just Jordan, Lebanon but Kenya, Turkey, so many other countries that literally have hundreds of thousands of refugees is a bit puzzling to me."    




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Source: AAP

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