19 July 2013, Canberra, Australia
My fellow Australians.
Tonight I want to speak to you about a matter of great importance to all of us.
Earlier today I met the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea and struck a new regional arrangement on asylum seekers.
From this point forward, asylum seekers who arrive in Australia by boat will be sent to Papua New Guinea for processing and resettlement.
Australia will continue to have cooperative arrangements in asylum seekers with Nauru.
People who come by boat now have no prospect of being resettled in Australia.
The rules have changed. If you come by boat you will never permanently live in Australia.
This has not been an easy decision for me or my colleagues.
The sight of asylum seekers being exploited by people smugglers is appalling.
And the problem is likely to get worse in the future as it is for so many countries around the world.
We also have to do everything possible to protect our orderly migration system and the integrity of our borders.
The bottom line is that we have to protect lives by dealing robustly with people smugglers.
Australians have had enough of seeing asylum seekers dying in the waters to our north and our northwest.
They’ve had enough of people smugglers profiting from death.
Like me, they worry about the safety of our brave servicemen and women involved in rescue operations when boats get into distress.
As Prime Minister, I must address changing circumstances, balancing our humanitarian obligations under international law with the reality on the ground.
Australian Governments have never had a policy on asylum seekers that is set in stone.
We must always adjust to changing circumstances while remaining true to our values and vigilant concerning our legal obligations.
Asylum seeker policy is complex. It is very complex indeed.
It is hard. It involves detailed cooperation with other countries.
With this announcement there will inevitably be many hurdles along the road.
It won’t be smooth and nobody should expect the boats to stop tomorrow.
In fact, people smugglers will now try and test our resolve.
Our job is to deal with each new hurdle as it appears.
Under our new policy, Australia will continue to take genuine refugees from around the world under the normal processes of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Refugees who have often been languishing in camps for a decade.
But my message to asylum seekers around the world is simple.
Under the arrangement with Papua New Guinea, if you come here by boat, you will be sent to Papua New Guinea.
I also have a message for the people smugglers of our region and the world.
Your business model is over.
The decision we have announced today is one part of the Government’s multilayered approach in responding to the scourge of people smuggling.
The Government will continue to adjust our policy and approach in the future as necessary.
I thank you for your attention.