Australia turns back asylum seekers

Nauru is being paid $10m by Australia for accepting boat people

A boatload of asylum seekers has for the first time been turned away from Australian waters Prime Minister John Howard said on Friday.

The Indonesian-registered boat, with about 200 people thought to be from Middle Eastern countries on board, was boarded by navy personnel and forced to turn back to Indonesia.

"For the first time, it represents, on my advice, a successful return of a vessel," Mr Howard said.

The incident marks a further hardening of Australia's stance towards refugees - until now boat people have been picked up by the navy and transported to other Pacific nations where their asylum applications are processed.

Australia is in the middle of a general election campaign and Mr Howard has seen his popularity rise dramatically since he first adopted a hardline policy in late August.

Childbirth at sea

Mr Howard said the latest group of asylum seekers included a woman who had given birth just before the boat entered Australian waters. He said all the boat's occupants were given humanitarian aid.

Howard's election prospects have been boosted by the refugee issue

The crew of the Indonesian boat were warned by the boarding party from the HMAS Warramunga, they faced five-year jail sentences under the new anti-people smuggling legislation.

The government has also recently passed border control laws which it says allows asylum seekers to be turned away from certain remote islands such as Ashmore Reef, the scene of the latest incident, and Christmas Island.

However human rights groups have criticised the changes, saying Australia's actions could place it in breach of its obligations under international human rights agreements.

International search

The Australian Government has approached several more Pacific nations asking if they will allow refugees to be landed on their territory while their asylum applications for entry to Australia are processed.

Refugees in Nauru are being housed in a makeshift camp

Fiji said on Thursday it was considering a request from Canberra and would give its answer in the next few days.

Australia has also been negotiating with a number of Pacific neighbours, including Kiribati, a chain of islands near Nauru.

Nauru - the world's smallest republic - has accepted about 800 refugees in return for about $10m aid. But the hurriedly constructed detention camp in the island's barren centre is thought to be at full capacity

Papua New Guinea has agreed to take 223 asylum seekers on its remote Manus Island - the refugees are expected to arrive from Australia's Christmas Island next week.

More than 100 asylum seekers were flown to New Zealand last month in a one-off deal.