Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Australia flies more asylum seekers to Nauru detention camp

Posted at 06:35 on 15 October, 2012 UTC

Australia has sent another 38 asylum seekers to Nauru, taking the number of people now detained on the island to 289.

The group of men was flown from Christmas Island.

So far only men have been moved to Nauru where they are being housed in tents which are expected to be eventually replaced by permanent facilities.

At the weekend the detainees staged a protest, asking for the camp to be closed and for their assessments for refugee status to be started.

The Australian Immigration Minister, Chris Bowen, has been reported as saying that it could be a year before that process begins.

Three Sri Lankans, who were among the earlier detainees on the island, have since chosen to return home rather than remain on Nauru.