(couriermail.com.au) - THE immigration department has admitted that Malaysia has not yet agreed to strengthen human rights protections for asylum seekers under the people-swap deal between the two nations.
Department secretary Martin Bowles said the two nations had discussed the deal since the federal government's expert panel recommended in August that Malaysia provide more protections for minors.
"Until there is a clear way forward here, it's not in the budget and ... we're not changing anything between us and Malaysia in relation to the agreement," Mr Bowles told a Senate estimates hearing in Canberra on Monday.
Asked whether Malaysia had agreed to pass laws to strengthen protections for asylum seekers, Mr Bowles replied, "Not to my knowledge."
The expert panel's 22-point plan to stop asylum seekers making the dangerous voyage to Australia by boat recommended the government pursue regional solutions including its Malaysia people-swap deal.
Under that plan, Australia would have sent 800 asylum seekers to Malaysia for processing and received 4000 processed refugees in return.
But the deal was quashed by the High Court and the government couldn't get enough support in parliament to change legislation to make it legally acceptable.
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