Another month has passed under Operation Sovereign Borders without a successful people smuggling venture to Australia. Of the eleven full months under Operation Sovereign Borders seven have passed without such a venture arriving in Australia.
So far in 2014 just one successful people smuggling venture has had passengers transferred to Australian immigration authorities. The passengers from this venture, which originated in India, were all transferred to Nauru in August.
In the first eight months of 2013 under Labor a total of 268 illegal boats arrived with more than 18,800 people on board.
Processing of asylum claims at offshore centres continues with over 300 refugee status determinations or interim determinations handed down on Nauru and Manus Island.
As of 27 August, 179 refugees have been settled on Nauru. Thirty-three have been employed in a range of occupations across Nauru such as dental assistant, electrical engineer, carpenter, gardener and school teacher.
The Government is advised a further 12 refugees have applied for business licences to establish their own local businesses.
The progress of processing at offshore centres under the Coalition Government contrasts to Labor's record. Labor ran offshore processing for more than a year without a single refugee status determination being handed down and a single refugee being resettled offshore.
In addition 412 transferees at offshore processing centres have voluntarily elected to return home since Operation Sovereign Borders began. This is five times the number to have voluntarily returned in 13 months under Labor. (HC)
