Summary of key messages from announcement on Regional Resettlement Announcement
Friday 19 July
- A joint announcement between the Prime Minister of Australia and the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea was made today, 19 July 2013, to introduce cooperative arrangements to tackle people smuggling operations.
- Both governments signed a new agreement – the Regional Settlement Agreement – outlining the transfer and settlement of unauthorised maritime arrivals.
- Effective immediately, unauthorised maritime arrivals to Australia will be transferred to Papua New Guinea for processing and assessment.
- Anyone who travels unlawfully to Australia by boat, without a visa, will be transferred to Papua New Guinea. They will never be settled in Australia.
- The announcement sent a loud and clear message that both countries are committed to introducing a multi-layered approach to curbing people smuggling activities and reducing the number of lives lost at sea.
- People smuggling networks around the world will now be offering people false hopes when they tell them they will arrive in Australia.
- If people are found to be a genuine refugee they will be permanently settled in PNG.
- Persons found not to be refugees may be returned to their home country or a country where they had a right or residence, or held in a transit facility.
- There is no cap on the amount of people that may be transferred or settled.
- The agreement reviewed after 12 months.