Hitches delay boat people

By GREGG WYCHERLEY and NZPA

Boat people rescued by the Norwegian freighter Tampa last month could start arriving in New Zealand this week.

But a spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Lianne Dalziel says processing of the 145 refugees destined to come here will begin only after it is certain that no appeal will be lodged against a decision of the Australian Federal Court on Monday.

The decision lets boat people on the Australian Navy ship Manoora be offloaded at Nauru for processing.

More than 600 refugees, mostly Afghanis, are due to disembark after the court upheld an Australian Government appeal against a ruling by Federal Court judge Tony North that they had to be sent to Australia.

But the Australian Government's plans ran into another hitch yesterday when some of the refugees said they would refuse to disembark until they were taken to Australia.

Australian authorities have pledged not to use force to get the refugees off the ship and must rely on their powers of persuasion.

Australian Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock said yesterday that a small number of boat people of Iraqi background refusing to disembark had tried to intimidate others into staying on board.

The Manoora would not be returning to Australia straight away so staying on board would serve little purpose, said Mr Ruddock, and it was not an option they would be given.

Mr Ruddock said other groups of boat people were on Ashmore Reef and at Cocos Island.

The Nauru disembarkation has already been held up by delays in completing the camp to house the asylum seekers. The boat people were originally to have been housed in a group of air-conditioned, three-bedroom apartments overlooking the Pacific that were built for an international weightlifting competition but were never used because the competition was moved to another island.

Army engineers have been working through the night to prepare a tent camp to house the asylum seekers and hope to have it completed today.

The civil liberties group which brought the original action against the Australian Government has said it is unlikely to pursue further action.

Refugees bound for New Zealand will be flown here by the Air Force.

New Zealand is taking the 145 people as part of its annual quota of 750 refugees. They will be housed at the Mangere Reception Centre for the first six weeks and will be confined to the centre for the first fortnight until they have medical clearance.

During their time at the centre they will undergo an orientation programme, receive English lessons, be given information about New Zealand society and culture, learn how to open bank accounts, obtain tax numbers and a driver's licence and receive advice on shopping and cooking in New Zealand.