Christmas Island will cope with boat arrivals
There are a number of facilities on Christmas Island to accommodate unauthorised boat arrivals including a secure detention centre and community housing. Children and, where possible, their families are not held in immigration detention centres.
In total, Christmas Island can accommodate up to 1200 people across the range of facilities. The island's facilities can adequately accommodate the 479 unauthorised boat arrivals currently on the island and will cope with the latest arrivals.
Conflicts in places like Afghanistan and Sri Lanka have seen an increase in the number of asylum seekers worldwide.
A UNHCR report released this month confirms that the increase in people seeking asylum in Australia is part of a worldwide trend driven by insecurity, persecution and conflict.
The Government allocated $654 million in the May Budget for measures to combat people smuggling and there have already been some successes in disrupting ventures in Indonesia.
URL: http://www.minister.immi.gov.au
/media/media-releases/2009/ce09060.htm
Last update: 09 July 2009 at 16:41 AEST