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Australia to accept 12,000 refugees

September 9, 2015 at 4:48 pm

Australia will take in 12,000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees and contribute 44 million Australian dollars ($31 million) to the UN’s refugee agency, the prime minister announced today.

Speaking at a news conference in Canberra, Prime Minister Tony Abbott Abbott also confirmed Australia will step up the military campaign against Daesh by extending airstrikes from Iraq to Syria.

Australia is already committed to resettle 13,750 refugees this year, rising to 18,750 in 2018.

The Guardian newspaper said this would mean Australia accepting 25,750 migrants this year – the greatest number under its humanitarian programme since 1951.

Australia will focus on “persecuted minorities” taking refuge in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. “I do want to stress women, children and families – the most vulnerable of all,” Abbott said.

World Vision CEO Tim Costello told the Anadolu Agency he was pleased with the government’s decision to provide additional places to refugees.

In response to the focus on persecuted minorities, Costello said the policy must be “non-discriminatory based solely on need” – echoing concerns that Australia may focus on helping non-Muslim refugees.