Tamil asylum-seekers to be brought to Australian mainland for ‘consular assessment’

A boatload of 157 Tamil asylum-seekers held at sea for a month will be brought to the Australian mainland for consulate assessment before being sent back to India, Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has announced.

The asylum-seekers have been held at sea since being intercepted on June 29 while the Australian government attempted to come to an arrangement with India to take them directly.

But after weeks of failed negotiation, Mr Morrison said the group would now be brought onto the Australian mainland and held until Indian consular officials have had the opportunity to speak to them about their possible return.

“The Australian government will bring the vessel to Australia for the purpose of allowing India to establish consular access, establish identities and facilitate their return to India,” he said.

“They will not remain in Australia, they will not be re-settled in Australia - it is our intention those who can be returned should and must be returned

He would not confirm the Tamils would be taken to Western Australia’s Curtin Detention Centre and declined to comment on the ongoing High Court case into the legality of the group’s detention.

"That is a matter now that Indian consular officials will work through," he said.

"They have requested that access. They will be given that access and will await their process to be completed."

The customs vessel is expected to land on the Cocos Islands tomorrow.

“We are assessing what it will mean for the case,” said Human Rights Law Centre’s executive director Hugh de Kretser, who is representing the 157 asylum-seekers in the ongoing high court case.

Mr de Kretser declined to comment further because the matter was still before the court.

With AAP