4 Dec 2012

MP says Nauru has no regrets about asylum seeker processing

7:49 pm on 4 December 2012

Nauru MP Mathew Batsiua says Nauru has no regrets about Australia's re-establishment of a processing centre for asylum seekers on its shores.

Conditions at the camp which houses nearly 400 asylum seekers in tents have come under fire from human rights and refugee activists.

Hunger strikes and incidents of self harm have also kept the centre and Nauru in the spotlight.

Mr Batsiua who co-chairs Nauru's Regional Processing Centre Working Group says economic gains for Nauru were not the primary reason for agreeing with Canberra to host the asylum seekers.

"We knew exactly what we were getting into, but we've always been part of a more regional approach to the insidious problems of people smuggling. We put up our hands to assist because we are part of the region. We've attended the Bali Process meetings since inception back in 2002 so we've always been a country that is willing to work with the region."

Mr Batsiua says Nauru is confident it has laws in place to provide a processing system that is fair, transparent and recognised by the international community.