Fed: PM denies claims malaria rife on PNG's Manus Island
CANBERRA, April 18 AAP - Prime Minister John Howard has denied claims up to one thirdof asylum seekers on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea were suffering from malaria.
A report aired on ABC television last night alleged malaria was rife on Manus.
It also said PNG's government might have broken its own constitution by agreeing toprocess asylum seekers on Manus on Australia's behalf as part of the so-called PacificSolution.
PNG's former foreign minister John Pundari told the ABC he felt the country's sovereigntymight have been undermined by the deal.
Mr Howard said his advice was that while cases of malaria had occurred, the problemwas nowhere near to hitting one third of detainees.
He said any challenge to the constitutional validity of the agreement was a matter for PNG.
"That's action being taken in PNG by people who are opposed to what the PNG governmenthas done," he told Sydney Radio 2UE.
"That's a matter for the PNG government and a matter for the courts.
"I'm not going to presume to offer a view on a constitutional case in another country."
He said Australia had negotiated the deal with PNG in good faith.
"We thought in was a sensible thing to do," Mr Howard said.
"We stand by that. I believe the so-called Pacific Solution has worked effectively.
"You only have to look at the change in the number of arrivals.
"We haven't had any new arrivals for months."
Mr Howard said while he could not guarantee no new arrivals, asylum seeker numbersdid appear to be on a long-term decline.
AAP rft/las/bwl
KEYWORD: DETENTION PNG HOWARD
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