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AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION
OTTAWA

MEDIA RELEASE

6 July 2010

PRIME MINISTER GILLARD OUTLINES POPULATION AND ASYLUM POLICY

The Prime Minister of Australia, The Hon Julia Gillard MP, has delivered a speech to the Lowy Institute outlining several key elements of Australia’s population and asylum policy.

In the speech Prime Minister Gillard announced that she has commissioned the Minister for Sustainable Population, The Hon Tony Burke MP, to develop a population strategy for a sustainable Australia.

Prime Minister Gillard outlined the Government’s regional approach to the processing of asylum seekers. With the involvement of the UNHCR and regional partners Australia is set to establish a regional processing centre for asylum seekers to eliminate the onshore processing of unauthorised arrivals and ensure that anyone seeking asylum is subject to a consistent process of assessment in the same place.

Prime Minister Gillard announced the Government has lifted the suspension on processing claims from Sri Lanka.

The suspension on processing claims from Asylum Seekers from Afghanistan will be kept under review in the coming weeks and months.

The full speech can be read on the Prime Minister’s website at: http://www.pm.gov.au/node/6876