Gillard to pursue asylum deal
Australia yesterday revived plans to ship hundreds of asylum-seekers to Malaysia, saying it would alter legislation after the nation's highest court blocked the proposed refugee swap.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who is facing plunging support and speculation of a leadership challenge, said she would seek to amend Australia's migration law to enable the government to push through the troubled policy.
Rights activists have criticised the so-called Malaysia Solution, accusing Australia of offloading its obligations to refugees and sending vulnerable people to a country that is not a signatory to the UN convention for refugees.
The politically divisive issue, as well as a backflip on the introduction of a pollution tax, have helped drive Gillard's disapproval rating to 62 percent, according to a Nielson poll published yesterday.
The High Court last month froze the deal before it could be implemented, saying the government could not send asylum-seekers to countries not legally bound to adequately protect them.
"We are determined to pursue the arrangement we have made with Malaysia," Gillard told a press conference.
Under the plan, up to 800 boatpeople would be sent to Malaysia while Canberra would accept 4,000 of Kuala Lumpur's registered refugees for resettlement in Australia over four years.
Australia is pushing for a regional solution to stop people-smugglers bringing asylum-seekers into its waters.
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