According to Immigration Minister Chris Bowen, establishing a regional refugee processing centre in East Timor will require time.
Reports indicate that the current immigration centres in Australia, such as the facility on Christmas Island, are exceeding their capacity.
Before the election, Prime Minister Julia Gillard made a commitment to construct a regional centre in East Timor to accommodate the rising number of asylum seekers.
However, when asked for a specific timeline, Mr Bowen refrained from providing one.
“I’m pleased to say that this will be among my top early priorities. Yet, I’m unable to define a timeframe at this point,” he stated.
When questioned about the political implications of the asylum seeker situation, Mr Bowen noted that voters would recognize the significance of engaging in talks with Australia’s regional partners.