Dutton lashes Shorten on New Zealand refugee call

Peter Dutton lashed Bill Shorten over his call to consider New Zealand’s offer to resettle Manus refugees.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has lashed Bill Shorten over his call for the Australian government to consider New Zealand’s offer to resettle some of the ­remaining Manus Island refugees, saying any such move would embolden people-smugglers.

Following New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s offer yesterday to accept 150 men from Manus Island, Mr Shorten said the proposal shouldn’t be ignored by Malcolm Turnbull.

“Turnbull should take Prime Minister Ardern’s constructive offer seriously,” Mr Shorten said.

“Manus was never intended to be a place of indefinite detention. The Liberals have been in charge for four years and haven’t done anywhere near enough work on resettlement options.”

However, Mr Dutton accused the Opposition Leader of “sounding a lot like Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd”, arguing his statement would be a “green light” to people-smugglers.

“Mr Shorten has not sought any briefings on the government’s work to clean up Labor’s Manus legacy,” he said.

“It is … a reminder to Australians that Labor under Bill Shorten would fold to internal pressure once again and it would be a green light for people-smugglers.”

The government has previously rejected resettling asylum-seekers in New Zealand, arguing it would encourage people-smugglers.

Ms Ardern is expected to discuss the issue with Mr Turnbull when they meet in Sydney tomorrow.

Just fewer than 600 men are ­refusing to leave the Manus Island processing centre for new accommodation at other locations in the region, arguing it is unsafe to leave.

Australia’s Immigration Department yesterday rejected claims the country had “abandoned” the asylum-seekers and refugees.

“Former-residents who choose to stay at the (centre) are doing so fully informed that PNG has provided them with suitable alternatives and that these can be accessed at any time. Any claims to the contrary are simply not true,” the department said.

But the Australian government’s apparent tactic of hoping a lack of food, water and basic comforts would drive the remaining asylum-seekers out of the closed detention centre appeared to be backfiring yesterday with the men bringing in boatloads of food supplies and being given access to power and water by locals.

Up to 30 asylum-seekers were yesterday reported to be involved in running the loads of food into the centre using the unsecured back entrance on the beach within the Lombrum Naval Base.

At the same time, PNG residents living near the centre within the base were regularly allowing the men to access water and to ­recharge phones.

The practice was being unofficially condoned by PNG authorities. A senior policeman who asked not to be named said his ­officers had not received any ­instructions to move the men out of the centre.

He also said police knew the ­refugees were bringing in food and being given access to power and water — but that was something his men had not been instructed to stop.

“It is part of the Melanesian way. If you come to my village without anything, then I will look after you and give you food,’’ he said.

The officer said he thought it was unlikely any move would be made to forcibly oust the men.

“It could take months,’’ he said.

“They will wait for them to leave.’’

The refugees have repeatedly stressed they do not wish to leave the centre as the locals around ­Lorengau may attack them.

But the Australian Immigration Department yesterday hit back at their claims, saying security services were in place at the ­alternative accommodation sites.