"Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in Asia, it still has difficulty feeding its own people ... and protesters have been shot in the street."

Labor concerned about Cambodia deal

The Australian | 21 May 2014

LABOR is gravely concerned about the Abbott government's Cambodian resettlement deal but won't say whether it will seek to block it.

Australia is on the verge of signing a memorandum of understanding with Cambodia, which would allow refugees processed on Nauru to resettle in the South-East Asian nation.

Refugee groups and the Australian Greens oppose the deal, concerned about the country's human rights record.

But Labor, which was the architect of the failed Malaysia people swap deal, won't commit to blocking the resettlement plan.

Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek says her party is yet to see the details of the proposal.

"We are gravely concerned about some of the things that are happening in Cambodia," she told ABC radio on Wednesday.

"Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in Asia, it still has difficulty feeding its own people ... and protesters have been shot in the street."

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has been accused of applying a double standard to the Cambodia deal, given his party's criticism and blocking of the Malaysia people-swap plan.

"I think the question for the government is why they think Cambodia is a better place to send asylum seekers than Malaysia," Ms Plibersek said.

Refugee Council of Australia chief Paul Power said the government's stance was deeply cynical, pointing out that Cambodia had blatantly breached the refugee convention.

In recent years it had forcibly returned refugees to Vietnam where they face ethnic and religious persecution.

And ahead of a visit by the Chinese vice premier, Cambodia had deported 20 Uighur asylum seekers to China, resulting in unconfirmed reports some were placed on death row or jailed for life.

Cambodia's opposition leader Sam Rainsy is concerned any Australian cash that comes with a resettlement arrangement will end up in the pockets of high-ranking government officials.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison dismissed those concerns on Tuesday, saying Australia had the experience and resources to ensure appropriate resettlement of refugees in a poorer nation.