Diggers get going on asylum housing

UP to 500 asylum-seekers will be housed in a temporary processing centre on Nauru by the end of next month.

UP to 500 asylum-seekers will be housed in a temporary processing centre on Nauru by the end of next month, with 30 defence force personnel to leave for the island state today to begin work on the facility.

After Nauru's Foreign Minister Kieren Keke yesterday gave Australian officials the green light to start construction of the temporary centre, Julia Gillard committed to another key recommendation of the Houston expert panel - increasing the annual refugee intake to 20,000 places.

The additional 6250 places, at an estimated cost of $1.3 billion over the forward estimates, marks the largest boost to nation's humanitarian program in 30 years and will result in Australia becoming the second-largest source of resettlement for refugees processed through the UNHCR, behind the US.

The Prime Minister said her government was committed to implementing the Houston report "as an integrated package" and to deliver two clear messages to asylum-seekers.

"Message No 1 - if you get on a boat you are risking your life, you are paying a people-smuggler your hard-earned money and you are at risk of being transferred to Nauru or Papua New Guinea," she said.

"But message No 2 - if you stay where you are and you have your claim processed by the UNHCR, then there are more resettlement places available in Australia."

The Coalition attacked the move, with opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison declaring Labor "out of touch" for opting to spend the money "taking on more refugees" at a time when Australians were facing rising cost-of-living pressures.

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said 400 of the new humanitarian places had already been set aside for refugees in Indonesia contemplating the risky boat journey.

He said while there would be a particular focus on resettlement from Indonesia and Malaysia, the government would also look to help refugees in protracted situations in Africa.

"The bitter pill of violating refugee rights on Nauru is not going to be sweetened by increasing Australia's overall intake," Refugee Action Coalition's Ian Rintoul said.

Mr Bowen also confirmed that a temporary processing centre on Nauru would be operational by the end of next month, but the government anticipates sending the first boat arrivals to the country before then.

The Australian military contingent is expected to set up at Topside in the interior of the island, a site in a played-out phosphate mining field that housed one of the detention centres operating during the Howard era.

Nauru has put forward the area to accept the first arrivals of asylum-seekers. However, it is looking for other possible sites after advising Australia it is capable of taking up to 1500 detainees.

A Nauru government spokesman said yesterday Australia's target of relocating up to 500 asylum-seekers by the end of next month was achievable.

Initially, however, detainees are likely to be accommodated in tents and the work crews set to arrive from Australia will be under pressure to get more permanent structures and facilities in place.