The first asylum seekers were flown to Nauru via Darwin overnight under Julia Gillard’s adaptation of John Howard’s Pacific solution.

 

The group of about 40 Sri Lankan men were put on a chartered plane that left Christmas Island about 8pm for the 7000km flight to the tiny island nation.

 

The asylum seekers are the first to be sent to Nauru for processing since the Rudd government shut the controversial detention centre in March 2008.

 

Sri Lankans were picked by Immigration officials in the hope they would be easier to manage than asylum seekers from other ethnic groups.

 

The Government was keen for the first transfer to go smoothly and without any resistance in the hope it would set the tone for future removals.

 

The operation began at night in part to frustrate refugee advocate groups that the Government feared could lodge a last-minute court injunction aimed at halting any deportations.

 

Almost 90 Australian Federal Police officers were on hand to move the asylum seekers on and off the plane.

 

The first asylum seekers on Nauru will face spartan conditions, probably living in tents without air-conditioning for several weeks before more permanent accommodation is built.

 

The Government says Nauru will eventually house about 1500 asylum seekers and another 600 will be sent to Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.

 

Despite the threat of deportation to Nauru or Manus Island, the number of asylum boats arriving in Australian waters seems to be increasing.

 

Seventeen vessels have arrived in the past 13 days - five more than this time last month.

 

Earlier yesterday, the Government announced it would take 1000 refugees from Syria as part of international efforts to help tens of thousands of people fleeing fighting in that country.

 

They will be resettled in Australia under the Government’s expanded resettlement program, announced last month after a recommendation by Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s expert working panel on refugees.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees figures show 253,106 people have fled Syria and are in temporary camps in neighbouring countries such as Turkey and Lebanon.

 

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said he had received many representations from the Syrian community in Australia, which was gravely concerned about family members overseas.

 

The Government has refused to say whether women and children will eventually be sent to Nauru or Manus.

 

Mr Bowen fears people smugglers would cram boats with children if he ruled out deporting them. (WestAustralian)