Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton says the federal government wants people in offshore processing resettled in the United States before looking at other countries.
Peter Dutton has played down the prospect of a refugee resettlement deal with New Zealand, insisting the United States remains the best option.
"The United States is the most realistic offer for us that we've looked at," Mr Dutton told Sky News on Sunday.The Morrison government repealed medical evacuation laws last week with the help of cross bench senator Jacqui Lambie. But Mr Dutton is adamant the government wants as many people as possible sent to the US before considering other options."The threat from Sri Lanka and elsewhere is still a very real one. People smugglers are marketing New Zealand as a destination," he said.
Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles said the opposition supported the NZ deal but conceded all resettlement options carried some risk."The biggest risk of all is leaving people on Nauru and Manus indefinitely," he told Sky.
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