A second senior minister has called for Australia to take more refugees from Syria as the federal government considers how it can help with the international crisis.
Trade Minister Andrew Robb says Australia has a long history of giving safe haven to refugees and should allocate more places for those from Syria and Iraq as the conflict in the Middle East intensifies.
The government set aside 4400 of its 13,750 humanitarian visas in the last financial year for refugees from Syria and Iraq.
It is now considering whether to make a similar allocation this year.
"I would suspect that given the circumstances, we'll look very favourably at that," Mr Robb told ABC TV on Sunday.
"And we should."
His comments follow similar calls from deputy Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, coalition backbenchers Craig Laundy and Russell Broadbent, and NSW Premier Mike Baird.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says the Abbott government's efforts to stop the people-smuggling trade means it has more flexibility within the humanitarian program to take more people in urgent need.
"A number of members of parliament in the coalition have suggested that we could increase the intake and of course they may well have resources available in their electorates that we could draw upon," she told the Seven Network.
She's had long conversations in recent days with Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Immigration Minister Peter Dutton about the best way Australia can help.
Possible options Australia is discussing with allies include giving more resources to refugee camps in Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey; European and Middle East countries taking in more refugees; establishing safe havens in Syria or along the border and increasing aid.
"It is an international crisis and Australia will play its part," Ms Bishop said.
Labor says Australia should respond promptly to any requests from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Frontbencher Mark Butler criticised cuts to Australia's funding for the UNHCR.
The previous Labor government responded to UNHCR requests and advice to take more refugees from particular regions under significant pressure, he told Sky News.
Labor resolved at its July national conference to double Australia's refugee intake to 27,000 by 2025.
That would give "very substantial headroom" to be able to assist Syrian refugees, Mr Butler said.
The Greens want to see an emergency intake of 20,000 Syrian refugees registered with the UNHCR.
"If the prime minister has a skerrick of decency and compassion he would do what his predecessors have down, show some leadership and recognise that Australia needs to play its part in the world," leader Richard Di Natale told Sky News.
"We can't continue with this isolationist, turn our back on the problems of the world approach that this prime minister brings to the office."
Share
