An Australian federal court on Tuesday ordered the government to allow more than 400 asylum seekers who were turned away last month to enter the country.
Upholding a suit brought by civil libertarian lawyers, Judge Anthony North ruled that the refugees had been illegally detained and ordered the government to allow them to land on mainland Australia by 5:00 pm (0700 GMT) Friday.
The government immediately announced it would appeal the ruling. The court in Melbourne is expected to hear the appeal on Wednesday.
The refugees are currently on board an Australian troop ship off northern Australia. They had been headed for Papua New Guinea, from where they were due to be taken to New Zealand and the Pacific island of Nauru, who have agreed to take them in while their claims for asylum are assessed.
But Foreign Minister Alexander Downer announced Wednesday that the ship was now bound directly for Nauru.
"Subject to the outcome of the appeal our plan is for the ship to proceed directly to Nauru rather than via Papua New Guinea," Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told reporters.
"We think that's likely to be a much less complicated but somewhat more timely solution."
The troop carrier HMAS Manoora is carrying more than 600 would-be refugees: the 433 turned away last month and 237 who were picked up from another Indonesian boat on Saturday.
Downer said all of them would be discharged on Nauru -- SYDNEY (AFP)
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