MEMBER for Indi Cathy McGowan would like to see Syrian refugees housed in the North East and has flagged the possibility of accommodating them at army bases.
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The independent MP's comments follow the refugee crisis growing and Prime Minister Tony Abbott indicating he would declare Australia's latest position on Wednesday.
The Labor Party has suggested 10,000 be taken in and a Liberal backbencher Ewen Jones has proposed 50,000.
Ms McGowan would not say how many she would like to be accepted by Australia.
"I'm totally in support of increasing our humanitarian numbers, as to what the number is it depends on what the government is prepared to do," Ms McGowan said.
"The number depends on the political will of the government to move."
Ms McGowan said Indi would support those fleeing and suggested Bandiana army base which housed Kosovars refugees in 2000 should be assessed for use.
"I think it should be considered and certainly the North East is very welcoming, that's part of the whole mix and I think regional Australia generally is saying 'come and talk to us'," Ms McGowan said.
"We learnt a lot from the Kosovar experience and the people that were involved in it and the ability of our community to rise up to do the welcome and integration and support of people.
"I'm certainly saying to the government that there is strong support from the community in Indi to welcome people."
Ms McGowan declined to say whether temporary protection visas should be used, saying she would support whatever system the government adopted for Syrian refugees.
Murray Valley Sanctuary Refugee Group president Penny Vine said she would like the refugees to be given permanent residency with the offer of citizenship, describing temporary protection visas as a "form of torture".
She believes the Border could work towards housing 500 Syrians and supported the use of Bandiana, although she questioned whether infrastructure remained from the Kosovar period.
Ms McGowan said she sensed that most refugees would be Christians because they are the most persecuted, but warned we must be "careful we don't discriminate".
"We need to make sure the most needy come in first," she said.
