Brown counters Abbott’s offer on asylum seekers

The Greens are offering the Gillard government help to implement the most popular option on asylum seekers which is to process them in Australia, Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"We already have a Senate bill for 30-day processing of asylum seekers, to match best process overseas. The bill also repeals offshore processing," Senator Brown said in Hobart.

"I think it would be a real pity if the government used the High Court and the Solicitor-General as an excuse to cave in to the Coalition and to cave in to the right generally."

"I have written to the Prime Minister today to welcome talks with the government aimed at facilitating processing asylum seekers in Australia. In particular, noting that the Greens have legislation already in parliament that covers some of the matters that would be covered by such a policy."

"We need an Australian solution - one that is legal, humane, saves taxpayers' money and is backed by the Australian people. A recent poll showed 53 percent preferred onshore processing [Fairfax, 16/08/2011]," Senator Brown said.