A group of over 200 mainly Iraqi refugees yesterday became the first boat people to reach Australian territory since the Tampa crisis in August, when Australia refused to allow a large contingent of refugees to land. The 233-strong group, which includes around 60 children, was transferred from the HMAS Adelaide to Christmas Island, off Australia's north-west coast, after having been rescued from their sinking vessel in the Indian Ocean on Tuesday.
The Australian Customs Minister, Mr Chris Ellison, said yesterday the group had disembarked without incident and were being housed in the remote island's sports centre.
Legislative changes in Australia since the Tampa crisis means the group will not be allowed to apply for asylum status even though they are now on Australian soil. Instead they will be transferred to Papua New Guinea where they will have their asylum claims assessed.
The transfer to PNG came about thanks to an agreement announced yesterday between the government of that country and Australia which will see the latter set up in PNG its second off-shore refugee processing camp, after Nauru, where the refugees from the Tampa have been accommodated.
The refugees were first intercepted by the Adelaide on Sunday and threw some of their children overboard when the navy refused them permission to enter Australian waters. But after they were towed deep into international waters they turned back towards Australia and on Tuesday disabled their own vessel in order to force the Australian navy to rescue them.
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