by DANIEL TENG – MORE than 19,000 asylum seekers have been given the go-ahead to apply for permanent residency in Australia by the Labor Government.
In a statement, the immigration minister said Australia “owed” asylum seekers protection, but at the same time, Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil issued a warning to people smugglers.
- When people smugglers test the will of Anthony Albanese … in the end he will bend.
- More than 50,000 illegal arrivals and at least 1200 deaths at sea were recorded last time Labor toyed with border security.
- This will send a very strong message to those trying to sell a product in faraway countries.
“Let me be crystal clear – if you try to enter Australia without a valid visa, you will be turned back or returned to your port of origin. There is zero chance of settling in Australia under Operation Sovereign Borders,” she said, noting the policy would only affect those that arrived before the operation.
“The Australian Defence Force and Australian Border Force are patrolling our waters to intercept and return any boats that try to enter.”
COMMITMENT
Under the policy change, the Albanese Government would fulfil an election commitment to provide visa pathways to existing Temporary Protection Visa (TPV) and Safe Haven Enterprise Visa (SHEV) holders.
“There are thousands of TPV and SHEV holders in the community that have endured ten years of uncertainty due to the policies of the previous Liberal government,” said Minister for Immigration Andrew Giles.
He said TPV and SHEV holders were working, paying taxes and employing Australians, and they were unable to get loans to buy a home or pursue further studies.
“It makes no – economically or socially – to keep them in limbo,” he added.
The refugee advocacy group, the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, welcomed the move.
“The significance of this announcement cannot be underestimated. We have tears of joy for all those who have been waiting for 10 years to have the permanency they deserve,” said Jana Favero, the Centre’s advocacy director.
While “teal” independent MPs Kate Chaney and Allegra Spender applauded the move.
LIMBO
“At last. Limbo ends for thousands of refugees who now can apply for permanent residency,” she wrote on Twitter.
In 2008, former Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd abolished Howard-era offshore processing, which resulted in a surge of smugglers making an attempt at entering Australia’s borders.
It’s estimated that between 2007 to 2013, more than 50,000 people were detained, with 1200 dying at sea.
Shadow Minister Dan Tehan criticised the government’s policy, saying it would encourage people smugglers.
“Temporary Protection Visas are a key pillar of Operation Sovereign Borders, and brick by brick, the government seems to be dismantling Operation Sovereign Borders,” he told Sky News Australia this week.
“You’ve got to remember that Kevin Rudd in 2013, with Mr Albanese as his deputy, said that these people would never settle in Australia.
SMUGGLERS
“What the people smugglers will be thinking, if they’ve seen this all before, they’ve seen these statements all of a sudden when you test the will of Anthony Albanese … in the end that will, will bend and what we will see is the boats will start again.”
Meanwhile, National Party Leader David Littleproud said the government had given smugglers a “product to sell”.
“What this will do is send a very strong message to those that are trying to sell a product in faraway countries … that Australia is back on the menu,” he said.
The government will set aside $9.4m over two years to fast-track visa applications.PC
News today that sea patrols are being increased because of concerns that people smugglers are organising illegal entry vessels and clients to attempt to reach Australia.
Labor never learn from their past mistakes.
It’s the “wet season” in Northern Australia at this time, people smugglers usually avoid risking bad weather conditions so it will probably be a few more months before the sea patrols and air surveillance intercept new Suspected Illegal Entry Vessels (SIEV) changed by Labor to Suspected Irregular Entry Vessels.
Temporary Protection Visa has been described as one of the three supports for the deterrent system and were used for asylum seekers who made it to mainland Australia, applied for asylum but were rejected, and then lost appeals. They could remain in Australia and work until authorities here decided it was safe for then to return to their country of origin. But with no possibility of being granted permanent residency and application for citizenship and family reunion.
Trust Labor?
What refugee advocates ignore is that Australia has participated for many decades in resettling genuine refugees sent from UNHCR Refugee Camps in various countries to take resettlement places here, smuggler clients with the money to pay to be flown to Indonesia, wait for a sailing date and then board a vessel to attempt to enter Australia illegally, meaning no Passport or Visa, to apply for asylum. Without a Passport background checking is difficult and therefore the smuggler clients are told to not carry their Passport on the voyage, I understand they make arrangements for Passport to be sent separately.
Against the UN Convention on Refugees these smuggler clients ignore the refugee rule that asylum must be sought in the closest safe haven country to their country of origin, eg; from Afghanistan to Pakistan where UNHCR Refugee Camps are operating.
Therefore genuine refugees lose position on the long list of refugees awaiting resettlement, Australia being third per capita behind the US and Canada, Norway fourth, for resettlement because they are too poor to pay smuggler fees.
Maybe Teals don’t understand what poor is, how desperate genuine refugees in camps really are and worried about their future?
‘Here we go again!’ is exactly right. How stupid are these people in government who having seen what happened last time restrictions were lifted now apparently believe it won’t happen again! Albanese is leading a bunch of morons and we will all end up suffering the consequences as a result.