Govt wary of refugee pull factor

The federal government is wary of providing a "pull factor" for asylum seekers by resettling them in countries similar to Australia.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, said a third-country resettlement option must be crafted carefully, citing the example under Labor where refugees resettled in New Zealand made their way to Australia.

"We need to be mindful of not creating a situation where there is a pull factor for people to come here, because they know that they're going to a particular country that might be seen in similar terms as Australia in terms of welfare support or employment opportunities," he told Sky News on Wednesday.