The recent campaigns against the former incumbent Prime Minister Julia Gillard have refocused attention on asylum seekers from Iran, Afghanistan, China and elsewhere seeking safe refuge or haven in Australia. The former PM Kevin Rudd, who is seen as the likely successor to Gillard in the upcoming Australian general elections, had used the issue of asylum seekers as a point of departure to show his toughness on immigration and national security. Migrants, refugees and asylum seekers have relied on boat transportation to Australia from Iran, Afghanistan and China in hopes of receiving entrance into Australia under international law's protection of prosecuted peoples. The Boat People, as the Asylum seekers and refugees are known in Australia similar to Libyans and other Africans (Vietnamese, Cambodians 40 years ago) fleeing war, political instability and economic depression for over a decade. Australia like Canada and United States, prides itself as a nation of immigrants (originally home to indigenous Australians known as Aborginals) but since the War on Terrorism began a decade ago, Australian government and the public have placed strict National Security laws above the rights of asylum seekers and refugees regardless of legitimate requests and justifications for needing to resettle in Australia. In recent months, Australian government has rerouted Boat People both Asylum Seekers and Refugees captured or halted by Australian security and border patrol to detention centers in Papua New Guinea. The most well known detention center Woomera has imprisoned over a thousand asylum seekers and refugees. Although Papua New Guinea is an independent country, Australia still maintains control over economic and political affairs of PNG including military bases. Rudd has hinted that future asylum seekers arriving by boat often accused of illegally arriving on Australia's borders, will be sent directly to detention centers in Papua New Guinea and possibly deported if not release for a non criminal records.
First Asylum seekers to Australia sent to PNG's detention center
Kevin Rudd makes certain that no asylum seeker arriving in Australia will be allowed entry
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