FED:Abbott wants boats to keep coming: Swan=2

AAP General News (Australia)
12-23-2011
FED:Abbott wants boats to keep coming: Swan=2

But in a letter to Mr Swan on Friday, Mr Abbott pointed out the coalition had opposed
the Malaysia deal "for over six months" because it doesn't guarantee the basic human rights
of asylum seekers returned overseas.

The government wants to send 800 boat arrivals to Malaysia in return for accepting
4000 authorised refugees. It believes the arrangement would deter people from making the
risky sea voyage.

But Mr Abbott won't budge on his opposition.

"I make the point once again that the coalition does not support this flawed policy,"

he wrote to Mr Swan.

"Our position has not changed. Consistency matters in our public life."

The opposition wants asylum seekers to be processed instead in Nauru or Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Mr Abbott said he didn't believe legislation was required to make that happen, but
if it was necessary he was prepared to "work with the government to progress it".

Changes to the Migration Act are necessary for the Malaysian deal after the High Court
struck it down in August. Labor also believes the law needs to be strengthened before
Nauru or Manus Island in PNG can be used.

Mr Abbott on Friday also criticised Mr Swan for ruling out on Thursday evening the
reintroduction of temporary protection visas despite having declared only hours earlier
that the government was willing to consider "all possible options".

Mr Abbott concluded his letter by stating that if the government wanted to pursue the
Malaysian people-swap policy, "it should enlist the support of its alliance/coalition
partners, the Greens".

AAP jcd/tab/sn/

KEYWORD: BOAT SWAN 2 CANBERRA

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