NAURU – Immigration Minister Peter Dutton says Australia’s relationship with Nauru in relation to processing asylum seekers will “continue for decades”.

In an address to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Dutton said that regional processing had been a critical part of Australia’s border protection policy.

He said centres had been maintained on Manus Island and Nauru, “in the face of sustained activist opposition”.

“Our relationship in this regard with Nauru will continue for decades,” he said.

His address comes almost one month after Papua New Guinea announced that it intended to close the Manus Island centre.

The ABC understands Australia will give PNG extra resources to cope with the transition, but Dutton is yet to be drawn on how much.

He said the figure, when finalised, would be substantial.

The address – which coincides with a statement that New Zealand will not enter into any resettlement arrangement with Nauru directly – also listed updated figures on boat turn backs.

Dutton said 740 people from 29 different boats had been intercepted and “returned safely” to their country of departure.

“People smugglers will not go quietly into the night,” he said.

“They diligently follow the asylum seeker debate in this country, looking intently for any opportunity to restart what was a half billion dollar industry.

“Whatever decisions we make, we must always cast an eye to potential pull factors and the consequences that may follow.”

Dutton also spoke on the changes to section 501 of the Migration Act, which has seen hundreds of New Zealand citizens stripped of their visas.

The amended legislation increased the power given to Dutton to revoke visas, primarily based on character grounds and whether they had spent more than 12 months in jail.

Dutton said since it came into effect in December 2014, he had cancelled 283 visas for offences of assault, 265 for other violent offences, 217 for drug offences, 133 for child sexual offences, 63 for rape, 24 for murder and 11 for manslaughter.

Dutton said he has also cancelled or refused the visas of 105 non-citizens known to be members of associates of outlaw motorcycle gangs.

“Who migrates to this country and the circumstances under which they do so has more than an economic impact,” he said.

“It has an impact on Australian society and the way in which we live. I have cancelled more visas on character grounds than any previous minister, and the community is a safer place as a result.”

- ABC