Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on border protection, refugee crisis ahead of UN summit in New York

PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull has labelled Australia’s border protection policies “the best in the world” ahead of this week’s UN summit on the global refugee crisis.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in Battery Park NYC. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

MALCOLM Turnbull has declared Australia’s border protection policies to be “the best in the world” ahead of this week’s UN summit on the global refugee crisis.

Speaking in New York at the start of his week-long US visit, the PM said the world was facing the biggest refugee and migration crisis since WWII.

But Mr Turnbull made clear that any critics of the Australia’s policy of offshore mandatory detention hoping the UN summit will see a softening of the policy are set for disappointment.

“We believe that in Australia we have set out the right responses and the results make the case. Our policy on border protection is the best in the world.”

He said a tough border protection regime was essential to maintaining political stability.

“Frankly public opinion will not accept a generous humanitarian program (and) a substantial migration program unless the government is seen to be in command of its borders,” he said.

“You’ve seen around the world the way in which uncontrolled migration flows start to destabilise countries and undermine support for migration, undermine support for multiculturalism, undermine the mutual respect which is the foundation of a successful multicultural society like ours.”

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his wife Lucy walk through Battery Park in NYC. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Earlier, the PM and his wife Lucy visited the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, paying tribute to the 10 Australian victims of the attacks.

Under a canopy of trees and with the backdrop of flowing water they walked slowly past the names of the nearly 3000 victims bordering the two waterfall pools, stopping to reflect on the Australians killed, each marked by a yellow rose.

At the “survivor tree” — a callery pear tree, the only tree found at ground zero to survive the attacks — Mr and Mrs Turnbull placed their hands on a remembrance wreath of yellow roses with a hand signed card.

The pair went underground to tour the museum, first stopping to see a trident which was part of the original World Trade Centre structure.

A sombre Mr Turnbull put his arm around his wife as they viewed some of the first pictures after the attack projected onto beams, before looking down at the “last column”, ceremonially removed from the site and now covered in mementos.

They stood in silence as they read and heard the stories of some of the Australians killed 15 years ago, viewing a gallery of portraits of the victims of the September 11 attacks and 1993 bombing.

Mr Turnbull wrote a message on a screen to be beamed onto a digital map against Australia.

“The world has changed but the resolute solidarity of free people was not,” he said.

“We stand together in the fight against terror.”

At the museum the PM met a young Australian working as a guide who shared her desire to work in counter-terrorism.

Elena Saxton, a 23-year-old guide, couldn’t help but greet Mr Turnbull and his wife Lucy during his visit on Saturday.

Ms Saxton, who will return to Sydney University in March will be studying her masters in public policy.

“I’m actually really interested in counter terrorism,” she told Mr Turnbull when he asked about her interests.

“It’s a very challenging area,” he replied.

“What we saw here was an elaborate planned attack. It took months and months.”

Now the world is dealing with defending those sort of attacks as well as lone wolves, he said.

The Turnbull’s later took a short ride on the subway to Battery Park where he spoke to the media.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his wife Lucy ride the NY subway. Picture: Jake Nowakowski