Canberra has offered a long-term Australian resident it deported to Serbia temporary housing and medical checks in Belgrade, but is standing by its decision not to allow him back into the country, an official said today.

A hunger strike at an illegal immigrant detention centre in the Australian Outback ended today, Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock announced.

The tiny Pacific Island, Nauru has agreed to process another 262 asylum seekers picked up by an Australian Navy vessel.

The Australian Government hopes to work closely with Jakarta to stem the tide of illegal migrants passing through Indonesia on their way to Australia, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today.

The Australian military was today expected to begin transferring 438 asylum seekers from a cargo vessel off a remote Indian Ocean outpost to a troop ship that will then depart for Papua New Guinea.