Asylum seekers want to leave Oz for NZ

Sri Lankans at Australia's Christmas Island immigration detention centre say they should be allowed to leave and continue on their journey to New Zealand in hopes of seeking asylum here, reports The Australian.

The Sri Lankans were on their way to New Zealand on March 28 when their boat hit a reef in the Torres Strait.

Stranded in international waters, they were taken aboard the customs vessel 'Roebuck Bay' and delivered to a detention centre on Horn Island off Queensland's coast before going on to Christmas Island.

But the men dispute being brought to Christmas Island, arguing they should be allowed to ask for asylum in New Zealand as planned.

The asylum seekers had not been heading towards Australia when they were becalmed and ended up on Warrior Reef, about 65 nautical miles north-east of Thursday Island says The Australian.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) wants Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to adopt a softer approach to asylum seekers.

ACTU president Sharan Burrow said blue collar workers would back Mr Rudd if he showed leadership on asylum seekers rather than "blind adherence to hardline border security policy", adding it was time for Australia to "do the right thing".

"Everyone deserves a fair go. These unfortunate people have been through enough. Their ordeal should be brought to an end and they should be given immediate shelter and proper care by Australian authorities," Ms Burrow told The Australian.

"Technically, this is Indonesia's responsibility. But that's not the point. You can't have 78 asylum seekers floating around indefinitely.

- NZ HERALD STAFF