New asylum centre for PNG

Main Stories, National
Source:

The National, Monday 13th May 2013

 A NEW permanent processing centre will be built in Papua New Guinea for asylum seekers, according to Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

She, however, did not say where it would be built.

The current asylum facilities on Manus Island are rundown.

“A permanent site has been selected,” Gillard told media conference.

“We will move towards construction later this year. We will go through the tender process and construction can start.

“Over the longer term, we want to work with PNG on regional issues, including people smuggling.”

Gillard said the issue of people smuggling was a regional one.