Would you pray for Australia’s attitude to refugees?
Today three government members are saying they will cross the floor, for the first time in the history of the Howard government, to oppose legislation to move “unauthorized entrants” into Australia (ie refugees) to the island of Nauru for processing.
Crossing the floor is a brave move which is, most likely, political death for those concerned. But what is the justification for locking up individuals and families who have not been shown to be guilty of anything? We treat a certain class of refugees worse than we treat serious criminals.
Crossing the floor is a brave move which is, most likely, political death for those concerned.
‘Rebel’ Liberal minister, Mr Russell Broadbent acknowledged this in his speech to the House of Reps. As far as I know only 3 Liberal ministers have said they are willing to cross the floor. Only 3!
It seems Australians are more concerned with the price of rising petrol (which in my opinion has been too cheap for too long). What a tragedy! What has happened to the moral health of our nation?
May God have mercy on our nation which has hardened it’s heart to the plight of the refugee and asylum seeker.
It will be intriguing to watch Family First in the Senate. It’s a big test for Senator Fielding. Will they be populist or biblically-minded in ‘welcolming the stranger and alien’.
It will be intriguing to watch Family First in the Senate. It’s a big test for Senator Fielding. Will they be populist or biblically-minded in ‘welcolming the stranger and alien’.
Should it be added “welcoming the stranger and alien - who jumps the refugee queue, out of turn, thereby making genuine refugees wait longer.”?
If three Liberal ministers were to cross the floor that would would be historic indeed. Alas. I don’t think it likely that any ministers will cross the floor on any issue. Some liberal members may. Party discipline is one of the sad things in our democracy.
from the above link, Alexander Downer is speaking to David Frost in an interview:
ALEXANDER DOWNER:
- tell me what we - we take about 120,000 migrants a year. Remember Australia’s population is about a third of that of the UK, so that’s the equivalent of you talking 360, around 360,000 migrants a year. And what we say is that if people want to migrate to Australia they can do so, apply through the normal processes. We also have a refugee quota. We take 12,000 refugees a year. If people arrive illegally in Australia and they claim asylum, we detain them while their application is processed. If they are found genuinely to be refugees then we allow them to stay, that’s our obligation under the UN convention. But if they are found not to be refugees, despite having pretended they were, if they are found to have been deceiving our immigration authorities then of course they can appeal through our refugee review tribunal and our courts but in the end we tell them they have to leave the country. If they refuse to leave, we hold them in detention until they do leave. So it’s that aspect of our policy which is tough. But look our view is, if you have a strong immigration programme - we’re very much in favour of immigration, we’re a nation that’s built on the back of immigration - if we have a strong and coherent policy, then we can build public support and confidence in immigration and if people try to come illegally and they’re not refugees well then we send them away.
I have interpreted govt policy in that Australia has determined a quota of refugees that we will accept each year. (12,000 people)
If people arrive illegally, and are finally processed as being acceptable refugees they make up part of that quota.
Thereby cutting out a portion of the refugees that would have been accepted, if the others had not jumped into Australia by non-standard means.
Is what I am saying here, the Govt policy? I take this quota as the queue line.
Umm - I don’t get the argument that people who even though they have genuine refugee claims are still ‘illegal’ in some way.
Isn’t the whole point that, because they are refugees that they are entitled to asylum under international law notwithstanding that their mode of entry to the country would be otherwise be illegal?
And how can the inconsistency between the treatment of arrivals by boat and arrivals by plane be justified?
Gordon wrote: Where do I find this queue again, Ken?
yes, and do you notice that the starting point of the *hypothetical* queue keeps changing, with each new declaration as to where Australia’s migration boundaries lie.
Alex, if we now take 12,000 refugees, how many do you think we should take? Is it limitless? It would be for some.
Remember the cost is to taxpayers - most refugees depend on support, big time, and do not find employment etc for a while, if ever. Migrants support themselves from the get go. Refugees are usually expensive for us to maintain.
Sure, I feel sorry for them, but we would have to accept half the people in the world: because that’s how many people out there are of that same level of poverty and difficulty.
Surely there are limits to how many we can accept, without reaching the same economic level as the people we accept.
It is not a good thing to make it too easy for a great mass of people to enter Australia without entry permits. Whether by boat or plane illegally
I admit that people who arrive by plane are not that different, but they don’t ask for government support. They support themselves. That is where government’s are concerned I think. They look at the cost of upkeep for many people who have little chance of finding employment.
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