Thursday, July 31, 2012, at about 7:45 am (AEST), the first boat of Iranian and Afghan asylum seekers arrived at PNG's Manus Islands as per Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's new boat policy. Under the new policy, PNG will accommodate all asylum seekers arriving by boat as Australia provides financial support.

Immigration Minister Tony Burke told press that this only goes to show that the Rudd government is "serious" on its policy prohibiting asylum seekers from residing in Australia.

"As of now there are the first 40 people in Papua New Guinea who are realising that the people smugglers no longer have a product to sell. That the promise of living and working in Australia, which is sold by people smugglers before they push people onto the high seas, is no longer a product available," Mr Burke said.

"More places will be provided as more places are required. As many people as test our resolve on this will find that the rules for each and every one of them are the same - that anyone who arrives by boat without a visa won't be settled in Australia. People smugglers no longer have a product to sell. There is no point getting on a boat anymore."

On Wednesday, July 31, 2013, Mr Burke explained that only single men will be sent to Manus Island because the facilities will not be conducive for women and children. However, as soon as expansion in the facility was done, children and pregnant women will be accommodated in the island.

Mr Burke said that the facility will eventually be expanded to have a capacity of 2,000 people from 500. A proposed centre to be build in the future will have a capacity of 1,000 people as compared to the original proposal of 600.

Dr Otto Numan, CEO of Manus Island's only hospital, told AAP that they are expecting more asylum seekers for Friday, August 2, 2013. He said that the youngest on the manifest is 18 years old.

While the Federal Government has high spirits on the new policy, the Australian Greens party was optimistic calling this day a sad day for fairness and decency.

"The government is storming ahead with this cruel policy that is an attack on Australia's generous heart and our global reputation," Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young told the Herald Sun.