Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard has promised to provide air tickets for the Solomon Islanders living illegally in Australia to enable them to return home.
A number of Solomon Islanders have been living and working illegally in Australia before Australia had expanded its list to include Solomon Islands in its Pacific Islands Seasonal Workers pilot scheme this year.In his post-Pacific Islands Forum Media Conference this week, Prime Minister Danny Phillip says his Australian counterpart has promised to kindly return the Solomon Islanders who are living illegally in her country.
Prime Minister Philip says the arrangement was made after he personally asked the Australian Prime Minister Gillard to return the illegal people who will be replaced with legal Solomon Islanders to work in Australia.
He says that many of these Solomon Islanders have left their families for over ten years and would need to return but they have feared Australia's border security and immigration programs.
He says Prime Minister Gillard has promised him to provide illegal residents their tickets to return home.