Australia's approach to immigration, both legal and illegal, has won praise from US President Donald Trump and the man who would be Britain's next Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.
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President Trump has pointed to a 2014 Australian campaign to deter illegal arrivals as a model for the US as it deals with a border migration crisis.
Trump took to Twitter aboard Air Force One on his flight to the G20 summit in Japan on Wednesday to post four confronting anti-illegal immigration posters created by the Australian government in 2014.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison was Australia's immigration minister at the time.
The posters are no longer used, but that did not stop Mr Trump who is heading into the 2020 presidential election with security on the Mexico-US border one of his top issues to win votes.
"These flyers depict Australia's policy on Illegal Immigration," Mr Trump wrote.
"Much can be learned!"
One of the posters features a photo of a boat on a rough, open ocean with the warning in red capitalised letters: "NO WAY. YOU WILL NOT MAKE AUSTRALIA HOME".
Another says: "Australia's borders are closed to illegal immigration".
Meanwhile, leading contender for the UK Tory leadership Boris Johnson pledged to deliver an Australian-style points based immigration system if he becomes prime minister.
Mr Johnson said he wanted to learn from Australia, which he said had a simple system based on contribution, fairness and control.
"We must be much more open to high-skilled immigration such as scientists, but we must also assure the public that, as we leave the EU, we have control over the number of unskilled immigrants coming into the country," he said.
Mr Johnson said he would ask the Migration Advisory Committee to consider contribution, including a firm job offer before arrival, the ability to speak English and blocking the ability to claim benefits immediately.
Greens Immigration spokesperson Senator Nick McKim on Thursday slammed president Trump's tweet.
"We should be horrified that one of our most shameful policies is being applauded by one of the world's cruellest leaders," the senator said.
"This is mortifying in the extreme, but comes as no surprise after neo-nazi groups in Europe adopted and embraced the same propaganda last year," the senator said.
Mr Trump has been under fire for his administration's treatment of illegal immigrants, with children separated from their parents and locked up in stark conditions.
He calls the Mexico border crossings a national emergency and has requested $US4.5 billion in emergency aid to help law enforcement address "the historic surge in large migrant groups arriving at our southern border".
Mr Morrison will be the first world leader to meet with Mr Trump at the G20 on Thursday evening.
Australian Associated Press
