The Australian government has moved a step closer to re-opening its asylum seeker processing centre in Papua New Guinea.
The Immigration Minister Chris Bowen has introduced documents into parliament to re-open the facility on PNG's Manus Island, which Canberra used from 2001 when it launched its policy of dealing with asylum seekers abroad.
The opposition said it would support the regulations, ensuring they will be approved by parliament.
Mr Bowen has told the ABC he hopes for the first transfers to occur in coming weeks, with ultimately 600 asylum seekers moved there.
Australia has already flown 211 asylum seekers to Nauru where it re-opened its off-shore processing centre last month.
