Islands Business - Australian Opposition may raise off-shore detention

SYDNEY, Australia ---- Australia’s Opposition has raised the prospect of reviving off shore processing centres as part of its border protection regime.

It is a clear indication of the Coalition's intent to revive key elements of the Howard-era Pacific Solution in its asylum seeker policy as it gears up for the Federal election, AAP reports.

The development comes as the Government was forced to defend the transfer of a group of 20 asylum seekers from Christmas Island to the mainland before their visas had been finalised.

Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison said the transfer was another example of the Rudd Government's unwillingness to make the hard decisions needed to deter people smuggling.

Mr Morrison said a Coalition government would consider excising more territory and setting up detention facilities in other countries to counter surges in asylum seekers

Under the Pacific Solution, thousands of islands were excised from Australia's migration zone while asylum seekers were housed in detention facilities on Nauru and Manus Island.

While Nauru and Manus Island would remain "closed", Mr Morrison said "other options" would be considered.

"The solutions and options that are out there for offshore processing are many and varied and they're the sort of things you would look at in government," he said.

"If you provide offshore processing as the only option, if you ensure that the visa that is offered ... is not a permanent one, then you significantly reduce the product you are providing to people smugglers."

The Coalition would also consider excising more territory from Australia's migration zone, he said.

"These are all of the options that you would consider in government and you would have to look at the costs associated."

The Government defended the transfer of 20 asylum seekers to the mainland on Friday as detention facilities on Christmas Island reach near breaking point. Immigration Minister Chris Evans denied the transfer was motivated by overcrowding on the island, which has a detention capacity of about 1900.

But Mr Morrison said the previous Howard government only ever brought asylum seekers to the mainland on a temporary basis.

"When the Howard Government brought people from Nauru and Manus to the mainland, it was for temporary purposes ... that largely involved medical evacuation and things of that nature."

The development comes as authorities on Christmas Island were preparing to begin processing a group of more than 40 asylum seekers rescued in Australian waters at the weekend.

It was the eleventh asylum-seeker boat intercepted this year.

There are 1741 asylum seekers and crew in detention on Christmas Island and another 88 on the way.