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Refugee advocates and Australia's Greens Party have slammed as"inhumane" plans by the Australian government to persuade Asia-Pacificnations to take asylum seekers who had been bound for Australia.
Thailandhas indicated it is interested in negotiating an agreement similar tothe in-principle deal Australia has secured with Malaysia.
Underthat deal Australia would send 800 asylum seekers to Malaysia, inreturn for resettling 4,000 people whose refugee status has beenapproved.
Another deal is still being negotiated with Papua New Guinea.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson Young says the government's plan is politically motivated.
"This is not busting people smugglers, this is about [Prime Minister] Julia Gillard looking after herself," she said.
She says Australia has abandoned its international legal obligations.
David Manne from the Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre says both Thailand and Malaysia treat asylum seekers poorly.
"Theseside deals with Malaysia and possibly with Thailand and Papua NewGuinea have all the hallmarks of being driven by narrow Australianpolitical interests and not the pursuit of a genuine comprehensiveregional co-operation framework, which is sorely needed," he said.
AnImmigration Department spokesman has rejected the accusations, sayingThailand has been a strong supporter of efforts to deal with peoplesmuggling and that there has been a positive response to the dealthroughout the region.
Ms Gillard has told the ABC that the government has a clear course of action.
"Idon't think it's any mystery to anybody in Australia that we are indiscussions with Malaysia, and I released the statement with the primeminister of Malaysia. "We are working with PNG as well," she said.
OnFriday night 32 asylum seekers intercepted in a boat off north-westernAustralia were expected to become the first such group to be processedoffshore.
The government said the group were being taken toChristmas Island for health and identity checks, before beingtransferred to another country.
Ms Gillard says offshore processing is sending a message to people smugglers.
"Themessage here to people smugglers and to asylum seekers in the pipelineis don't come to Australia expecting to be processed because you won'tbe.
"You will be held pending removal."
Thailandhas indicated it is interested in negotiating an agreement similar tothe in-principle deal Australia has secured with Malaysia.
Underthat deal Australia would send 800 asylum seekers to Malaysia, inreturn for resettling 4,000 people whose refugee status has beenapproved.
Another deal is still being negotiated with Papua New Guinea.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson Young says the government's plan is politically motivated.
"This is not busting people smugglers, this is about [Prime Minister] Julia Gillard looking after herself," she said.
She says Australia has abandoned its international legal obligations.
David Manne from the Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre says both Thailand and Malaysia treat asylum seekers poorly.
"Theseside deals with Malaysia and possibly with Thailand and Papua NewGuinea have all the hallmarks of being driven by narrow Australianpolitical interests and not the pursuit of a genuine comprehensiveregional co-operation framework, which is sorely needed," he said.
AnImmigration Department spokesman has rejected the accusations, sayingThailand has been a strong supporter of efforts to deal with peoplesmuggling and that there has been a positive response to the dealthroughout the region.
Ms Gillard has told the ABC that the government has a clear course of action.
"Idon't think it's any mystery to anybody in Australia that we are indiscussions with Malaysia, and I released the statement with the primeminister of Malaysia. "We are working with PNG as well," she said.
OnFriday night 32 asylum seekers intercepted in a boat off north-westernAustralia were expected to become the first such group to be processedoffshore.
The government said the group were being taken toChristmas Island for health and identity checks, before beingtransferred to another country.
Ms Gillard says offshore processing is sending a message to people smugglers.
"Themessage here to people smugglers and to asylum seekers in the pipelineis don't come to Australia expecting to be processed because you won'tbe.
"You will be held pending removal."
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