Australia to take Central American refugees as part of humanitarian intake: PM

Australia will include Central American refugees in its humanitarian intake going forward, after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull accepted an invitation to take part in a U.S.-led humanitarian program.

In a statement released on the prime minister's website on Wednesday, Turnbull confirmed Australia's humanitarian intake would be set at 18,750 refugees annually from 2018 to 2019, making Australia's resettlement program the "third largest in the world."

As part of its intake, Turnbull said Australia would be involved in the U.S.-led program to resettle Central American refugees who are also fleeing violence in their region.

"This is in addition to the 12,000 places we have committed for refugees from Syria and Iraq," Turnbull said of his predecessor Tony Abbott's decision to take a one-off intake of refugees fleeing the conflict in the Middle East.

"Australia already has one of the most generous and compassionate resettlement programs in the world. In addition to our existing programs, Australia will participate in a U.S.-led multilateral program to resettle refugees from Central America," the statement said.

"They would not have been possible without Australia's strong border management policies and high levels of public confidence in our well-managed migration system. Without this confidence, we would not have been able to increase our intake of refugees."

Following a speech at the United Nations in New York overnight, Turnbull told reporters that the 2018-2019 intake level of 18,750 refugees per year was "sustainable and manageable" and he added it was unlikely to be increased in the near future.

"Obviously governments have the absolute right to review it and adjust it, either up or down as circumstances change," Turnbull said.

"A lot of people say 'Australia is a big country, we've got lots of room'.

"The reality is that ... we have done a very effective job over many decades, of settling our migrants, ensuring that they are integrated, and of course the ones that have the greatest challenge are very often the refugees."

Turnbull also took the opportunity to announce increased funding for migration agencies to use in helping resettle those fleeing their home nations.

"I can announce that Australia will commit an additional 100 million U.S. dollars over the next three years in support of peace building and assistance to refugees, forcibly displaced communities and host countries," he said.

Despite the intake increase, the 2018-2019 figure would still remain below Australia's 2012-2013 intake, in which 19,998 refugees were resettled in Australia by the then-Labor government. Endit