Australia to increase its intake of refugees to 20 000 a year

PanARMENIAN.Net - Australia says it will increase its intake of refugees to 20,000 a year, from the current 13,750, in line with recommendations by an expert panel.

According to BBC News, PM Julia Gillard said the jump of 45% was the biggest increase in 30 years.

Lawmakers also recently approved the re-opening of offshore processing camps for asylum seekers in Nauru and PNG.

The moves are aimed at deterring asylum seekers from making the dangerous journey to Australia by boat, amid an increasing number of arrivals.

The increase in Australia's humanitarian intake and the re-establishment of offshore centres were among 22 proposals put forward by an independent panel on asylum earlier this month.

The panel's review was commissioned by Ms Gillard amid government deadlock on the issue. The three-strong panel, led by former defense chief Angus Houston, said its recommendations were aimed at encouraging people to seek asylum through official channels.

Ms Gillard said the move to increase refugee numbers sent a clear signal.

''Message number one, if you get on a boat, you are at risk of being transferred to Nauru or PNG. But message number two, if you stay where you are then there are more resettlement places available in Australia," she said.

The increase was "targeted to those in most need: those vulnerable people offshore, not those getting on boats'', she said. ''People who arrive by boat will get no advantage. It's not worth the risk to life and it's not worth the money, because there is absolutely no benefit to getting on that people-smuggler's boat.''