Nauru guarantees human rights: Morrison

The coalition has ramped up the pressure on Labor to consider Nauru for a refugee
processing centre, saying the human rights of asylum seekers would be guaranteed.
Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison on Tuesday said he had been given
assurances by the Nauruan government that it would uphold the requirements of the
United Nations refugees convention.
The development came as authorities revealed a boat carrying 57 asylum seekers was
intercepted near Christmas Island.
Mr Morrison, who on Tuesday returned from a fact-finding mission in Nauru, said the
convention was not needed to ensure the rights of asylum seekers were protected.
"The suggestion that they have to be a signatory to the UN convention is a furphy,
it's an excuse for not picking up the phone," Mr Morrison said.
"I had assurances yesterday from the president and their cabinet that any
requirement that was necessary in relation to protecting people's human rights and
also honouring our obligations under the convention would, of course, be looked
after as it was last time."
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said Nauru was willing and ready to take asylum seekers.
"It's absolutely crystal clear as a result of Scott's visit; first, that the
Nauruans are ready, willing and able to reopen an asylum seeker processing centre
and second, these facilities could be reopened and operational within weeks."
However, refugee advocates argue that signing the convention is necessary if the
United Nations and other agencies are to be involved in helping resettle asylum
seekers in third countries.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard wants a processing centre established in East Timor as
part of her vision for a regional solution to the asylum seeker problem.
The prime minister remains opposed to Nauru housing asylum seekers because unlike
East Timor, it is not a signatory to the refugees convention.
"My policy, the policy that I have announced, is that I want to see a regional
processing centre, a centre in a signatory to the UN convention on refugees," she
told reporters in Adelaide.
"East Timor is a signatory. We are in dialogue with East Timor."
Mr Morrison's visit to Nauru followed meetings between himself, Mr Abbott and
Nauruan president Marcus Stephen in Brisbane on Saturday.
It's expected Nauru could accommodate up to 500 asylum seekers under the coalition
plan.
With the coalition ramping up its attack on border protection, Mr Morrison has also
announced it would conduct an urgent review to examine "claims of bribery and fraud"
among locally-hired staff in Australian embassies that handle visa applications.
"I have had a suspicious number of anecdotal cases raised with me, to suggest that I
really should have a good look at this once we were in government," he said.
The review would consider whether the trend towards having locally-engaged staff to
make decisions on immigration and visa matters was appropriate.



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