Bishops applaud refugee move

Sydney
10 August 2003

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Bishops applaud refugee move

Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock’s decision to resettle the remaining refugees from processing centres on Manus Island and Nauru in Australia is welcome, says the chairman of the Bishops’ Committee for Migrants and Refugees, Bishop Joseph Grech.

He said the bishops had consistently called for the Government to drop its so-called ‘Pacific Solution’ of processing asylum seekers in offshore centres.

Fr John Murphy, director of the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office, said: “This is not an ideal situation, but it is a ray of hope,” said.

“It is a definite improvement on the original statement from the Federal Government that these people would never be allowed into Australia.”

Bishop Grech also welcomed the announcement that the Manus Centre will be wound down.

He said that people who had been found to be refugees, should be welcomed and given every assistance when they arrive here.

The decision to bring the last of the refugees on Nauru and Manus to Australia follows the departure of the latest group of voluntary returns, comprising 25 Afghani, four Iraqis and one Bangladeshi.