Bill Shorten nominates S Korea, Japan, Taiwan to resettle asylum seekers

Labor would work with Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Canada and NZ to resettle asylum seekers, Bill Shorten says.

Bill Shorten says Labor would work with a number of third countries to resettle asylum seekers. Picture: Liam Kidston.

A Labor government would work with countries such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Canada and New Zealand to resettle asylum seekers currently on Manus Island and Nauru, Bill Shorten says.

The Opposition Leader said Labor did not believe in indefinite detention of illegal arrivals, but would not commit to setting a time limit.

“What we would do is in a positive sense put more effort into renegotiating, to negotiating regional resettlement,” Mr Shorten told ABC radio.

“I can’t give an absolute time limit, obviously, from opposition.

“We will stop the boats, and we share the view of the government that this policy has been effective in deterring people smugglers, but I also believe that we shouldn’t have what is emerging to be indefinite detention for people in these facilities, so our plan is to negotiate regional resettlement options with the countries in our region.”

Asked whether he had any countries in mind, Mr Shorten said there was a “range of countries within Asia and the Asia Pacific who we could talk to”.

Asked to nominate specific countries, Mr Shorten initially said: “Well I think there’s big economies right through the Asian continent who would be I think worthwhile for us to talk to,” before nominating Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Canada and New Zealand.

Mr Shorten said he had not discussed the matter with the countries he named.

“We’re the opposition. You know really, what I would like to do is actually see the problem resolved, and I’ll say something this morning which might surprise some people listening: I’m pleased that the Turnbull government’s been able to keep the negotiations with America on track,” he said.

“This issue should be above party politics, but what we’re seeing is a whole lot of debate and I think that Australians actually expect their government to deter the people smugglers, but not keep people in indefinite detention.”

‘We’ve approached those countries’

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton accused Mr Shorten of not taking an interest in Operation Sovereign Borders and said Australia had already “approached” countries named as alternative resettlement countries for asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru.

“We’ve had discussions with all of those countries and many more and Mr Shorten is plucking countries out of the air,” Mr Dutton said.

“The fact is that if he had taken a briefing which he hasn’t even asked for yet he would know that we’ve already approached those countries and he selected these countries at random on air when he was under pressure.”

Opposition sources said Labor have had briefings but had been unsuccessful in finding out about potential international deals over asylum seeker resettlement.

The Opposition Leader also said Labor did not believe in indefinite detention of illegal arrivals, but would not commit to setting a time limit.

Mr Dutton said any discussion of a time limit empowered people smugglers.

“(This) has an effect of sending a message to the people smugglers that they are back in business that they are somehow you can wait on Nauru or Manus and you’ll come to Australia eventually.”

“And it would take away any leverage that a government had to try and convince people to return back to their country of origin or try and convince them to take a third country settlement option.”