It’s Papua New Guinea for Oz refugees

CANBERRA: Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd has warned that all refugees who arrived in Australia by boat would be resettled on the South Pacific island of Papua New Guinea.

Rudd and Papua New Guinea prime minister Peter O’Neill yesterday signed an agreement that will allow Australia to deport refugees to its developing neighbour.

The move, Rudd described as “very hard line,” aims to deter an escalating number of asylum seekers who travel to Australia in fishing boats from poor, war- torn homelands through countries like Indonesia and Malaysia. – Sapa-AP