Ban migrants with HIV, leprosy - Howard

Australian Prime Minister John Howard has indicated he would prefer to shut the door on migrants and refugees with serious contagious diseases.

The Australian National Audit Office found that the Immigration Department has knowingly approved visas for migrants with serious communicable conditions, despite authorities' inability to monitor them.

Mr Howard today said a review of the situation was imminent and the best outcome would be a ban on migrants and refugees who were HIV positive or who had leprosy from entering the country.

"My view is the best result is that no one with those sort of ailments is allowed into the country," Mr Howard told Macquarie Radio.

"I'm going to review the current position, and I want procedures put in place that see as far as possible that that doesn't happen.

"We are looking at it the next week or so."

- AAP