"They were extremely fearful of their fate and desperately wanted to stay in Australia and be assessed and protected in Australia under Australian law," Mr Manne said. "They were very frightened about going to Nauru, they were uncertain about what would happen to them there. They were highly anxious, confused and desperate."The Opposition attacked Mr Andrews yesterday, questioning his competence and knowledge of the immigration portfolio after comments he made to ABC radio on Friday that the group could have lodged refugee claims in their home country. "They could have claimed that (refugee status) in Sri Lanka," Mr Andrews said.

The Australian says, "Tamil refugees dispute Andrews claim".
Full text of the News;
 
IMMIGRATION Minister Kevin Andrews has come under fire over his handling of the Sri Lankan asylum-seekers and his knowledge of his new portfolio.David Manne, the lawyer for the 83 Tamil asylum-seekers, cast doubt on government claims that the group requested legal help only on Friday, saying the men had attempted to secure legal help much earlier.

Eighty-two of the Tamil men arrived on Nauru yesterday after being held for almost a month on Christmas Island, where they were sent after the navy intercepted their disabled boat at sea. Another man, who is being treated in a Perth Hospital, will join them later.Mr Andrews has said it was only last Friday that the group first told the Government it wished to speak with lawyers.But Mr Manne said the Sri Lankans disputed this. "It was clear to me they had been trying to seek legal assistance earlier and had been unable to do so until then," he said.



























A spokeswoman for Mr Andrews last night denied there was any earlier request.

Mr Manne, who heads the Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre, said he spoke with two of the Sri Lankans late on Friday.

"They were extremely fearful of their fate and desperately wanted to stay in Australia and be assessed and protected in Australia under Australian law," Mr Manne said. "They were very frightened about going to Nauru, they were uncertain about what would happen to them there. They were highly anxious, confused and desperate."The Opposition attacked Mr Andrews yesterday, questioning his competence and knowledge of the immigration portfolio after comments he made to ABC radio on Friday that the group could have lodged refugee claims in their home country. "They could have claimed that (refugee status) in Sri Lanka," Mr Andrews said.

But the UN's definition of a refugee says they must be outside their country of nationality.

Mr Andrews, who was previously Employment and Workplace Relations Minister, was handed the immigration portfolio in the January cabinet reshuffle.

Opposition immigration spokesman Tony Burke said Mr Andrews should be more across his responsibilities.

"You'd think as a starting point, the Minister for Immigration would have at least worked out what a refugee is," Mr Burke said. "Only a few years ago this is one policy area where they would have had all the details straight."

The blunder followed another slip-up last week, when Mr Andrews claimed the International Organisation for Migration was an arm of the UN, when it is in fact an international non-government organisation.

Mr Andrews's spokeswoman said last night Mr Burke should "focus on the real issues".

Courtesy:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21404724-2702,00.html