Biggest group of Afghans rescued from Kabul by Australia take their first step to a new life Down Under as Outback Aussies prepare to welcome them with open arms
Australia has now evacuated about 2650 people from Afghanistan, but danger in Kabul is growing with a deadline for the rescue operation looming.
Another 955 people on five flights were airlifted from chaos in the capital on Tuesday night.
Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said the number of people rescued so far had exceeded the government's expectations but advocates warn people left behind could die.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australian officials and troops and officials were dealing with one of the most dangerous situations on earth.
Ms Andrews said the situation was deteriorating by the hour.
Another 955 Afghan refugees have touched down in Australian soil as part of Australia's efforts to rescue citizens and visa holders
'Every effort is being made ... our people on the ground in Kabul are working around the clock and supported by people right here in Australia,' she told parliament.
Rural and regional Queensland towns desperate for workers are looking forward to opening their arms to Afghan refugees.
Robbie Katter, Mount Isa-based Member for Trager, is urging the federal government to relocate refugees to regional towns in Queensland.
'We've made contact with the immigration office, and my father, as a federal MP, and other state members will all be putting our shoulders to the wheel on this one,' Mr Katter said.
'Come out to the regional areas where we can welcome them with open arms, and we can appreciate having workers out here.'
Jay Wang, the head of Mount Isa Community Action for a Multicultural Society , said struggling businesses in the town would benefit from Afghan refugees being relocated to the area.
'So far, we don't have any Afghan families here in Mount Isa, so I think it would be something exciting and new, and we would be able to learn a lot from a new culture in the community,' she said.
'I have people call me and message me every day just to tell me they really need staff and see if I have any new migrants who are looking for work, or if they could please just drop their resume off, and they'll hire them straight away.'
Rural and remote areas in Queensland are eager to have refugees assimilated into their communities to help boost economic and social benefits (stock image)
Australians, Afghan visa holders and other people from allied nations were extracted in the latest round of flights from the war-torn country.
A third flight of evacuees has landed in Adelaide, taking the total brought from Dubai to Australia after being airlifted out of Kabul to 419.
US President Joe Biden plans to stick to his deadline of next Tuesday to complete evacuations.
Ms Karen Andrews said Australia would continue to lift people out of Kabul for as long as possible.
'The situation there is absolutely diabolical so we will do what we can for as long as we can,' she said.
A migration lawyer and former army officer has warned that Afghans with Australian visas could die if electronic documents continue to be knocked back.
A total of about 2650 people have now been rescued by Australia from the war-torn country
Glenn Kolomeitz, who served in Afghanistan, represents hundreds of Afghans entitled to protection in Australia.
He says people on the ground are being turned away after perilous trips to Kabul's airport because they don't have hard copy visas.
'That is going to cost lives,' Mr Kolomeitz told ABC radio.
'These people have made it to the gate, they're doing everything they're being asked to do and they're being turned away at these chaotic gates.'
He said a breakdown in communications within the Department of Foreign Affairs was causing the problem.
'Getting turned away at that critical juncture is just heartbreaking,' the former officer said.
'One of our families got to one of the gates and they were fired at by Taliban.'
Mr Kolomeitz said the mission was entering a critical juncture and urged Defence chief Angus Campbell to order soldiers to let more people through.
'It's frustrating. This is insane,' he said.
Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said that the situation in Kabul is swiftly deteriorating by the hour
But he said hundreds of people had been evacuated including interpreters, security guards and others who helped Australian forces.
'We do have some good news stories.'
The home affairs minister said Australia would continue to offer people refuge, after the rescue operation ended, through 3000 humanitarian places.
But she conceded no one knew when commercial flights would resume from the Taliban-controlled nation.
Labor continues to accuse the government of acting too slowly to extract people from Afghanistan, citing multiple warnings leading up to the US troop withdrawal.