Judy told you the other day, here, that the conservatives are now in control of the government in Australia and that immigration policy differences played a huge role in the election outcome.
“Hardliner” Scott Morrison appointed immigration minister in Abbott government. Photo: . AAP/David Crosling
I’m in no position to analyze the myriad issues facing the new government over its “boat people” policy going forward, but here is a legal writer at SBS.com.au , Alex Reilly, laying out the mine fields ahead for the likely new immigration minister, Scott Morrison.
Reilly:
Asylum seeker policy experienced a rush of activity in the lead-up to the election. Behind the Abbott government’s bold promise to “stop the boats” in its first term of government is a series of specific proposals – some adopted from Labor, and some of the Coalition’s own creation.
The new immigration minister, Scott Morrison, inherits a portfolio that is in disarray.There are tens of thousands of asylum seekers already in Australia who have made an application for a Protection Visa, but who have not had their claim considered at first instance by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC). They are in various forms of detention or in the community on bridging visas with no rights to work.
I couldn’t possibly begin to analyze this, other than to say it sure looks “thorny!” Read it all.
You might want to see our previous 110 posts on Australia where the public is in a much greater state of agitation over illegal aliens (mostly from Muslim countries) than Americans seem to be. Or at least the issue is a pivotal election issue there and has not YET reached that level in the US.
Tony Abbott’s Liberal Party won big in Australia’s elections last week. (The Liberal Party is the conservative party.) And the leftist British paper, the Guardian, attributes it to his emphasis on refugees with its headline, Tony Abbott, the man who promised to ‘stop the boats’, sails to victory. Its snide subhead, “Australia’s new prime minister succeeded by exploiting fear about migrants and disunity among his rivals,” is par for the leftist course.
In other words, Australians have no legitimate reason to oppose boatloads of refugees and it’s exploitation to bring it up. More from the Guardian:
Abbott says the country is facing a “national emergency”; he is to appoint a three-star general to oversee his “Operation Sovereign Borders”.
The political pressure he exerted in opposition on the issue was so great it forced Labor into a spectacular volte-face on processing refugees offshore. Tents and temporary structures on the tiny pacific islands of Manus and Nauru house refugees in conditions widely criticised by human rights groups. Thousands more live on bridging visas in Australia, unable to work while their claims are processed.
Labor’s parting shot in what had become a contest of who could appear toughest on refugees was a deal with Papua New Guinea. Refugees arriving by boat will now be settled there rather than in Australia.
As prime minister, Abbott will go further, reducing Australia’s humanitarian intake by 6,250 places a year to 13,750 and refusing refugees permanent residence, access to family reunions or to legal aid.
The Guardian minimizes the problem, saying Australia’s numbers of refugees are small by world standards. It doesn’t give any information on why there’s a problem. See Ann’s recent post for some background, or search “Abbott” for more.
Australia didn’t admit any non-white immigrants until the 1970s. Now discrimination against immigrants on the basis of race is illegal, though there are sometimes voices raised against the policy. But the voters are not so bogged down in political correctness that they think they need to accept boatloads of people without regard to their effect on Australia — and many of whom are not true refugees. Would that we had some courageous politicians like Tony Abbott.
Note to readers: I started this post two days ago which is an eternity in the on-going back and forth in Australia over the illegal alien boat people seeking asylum, so by now this may not be the latest news. However, it is still worth posting because Americans, just for a moment, imagine having a political leader who speaks as frankly as Abbott!
Abbott: Enter Australia illegally and you will NEVER get permanent residency. Photo: Daily Telegraph
Australia is ahead of America in coming to the crisis point on immigration (both parties want to curb it because the voting public has had it!).
In the upcoming election, what to do about the boat people arriving by the thousands and asking for asylum is, as far as I can tell, THE pivotal issue in determining who will be the next Prime Minister.
Labor Prime Minister Keven Rudd recently instituted the PNG plan, go here for our coverage, and now the opposition coalition has a potentially more effective plan.
Those determined to be legitimate asylum-seekers will be regularly reviewed and eventually returned to their home country when things calm down there—they will never be given permanent residency in Australia. That should slow the flow!
Hereis the story at the Brisbane Times. It is a long article and I’ve just selected a few bits that interest me and might encourage you to read the whole thing.
The Coalition has ramped up its hardline stance on refugees, announcing on Friday that almost 32,000 asylum seekers who have already arrived in Australia by boat will never get permanent settlement as well as stripping them of the right to appeal to the courts.
The Coalition would also introduce indefinite work-for-the-dole obligations for those found to be refugees.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott channelled former prime minister John Howard from 2001 when announcing the change to the policy in Melbourne.
”The essential point is, this is our country and we determine who comes here,” Mr Abbott said.
Boat people will NEVER be granted permanent residency!
According to Department of Immigration figures compiled last Friday, 31,986 asylum seekers are either in the community on bridging visas, in community detention, in mainland detention centres or on Manus Island and Nauru.
Mr Morrison and Mr Abbott said on Friday that a Coalition government would deny them the right to ever settle in Australia, creating a crucial point of difference between the two parties, now united on stopping the boats.
As part of the toughened policy, a Coalition government will scrap the right of asylum seekers to appeal to the courts,which in the March quarter brought the number of asylum seekers who were granted refugee status from 65.3 per cent to more than 90 per cent.
[….]
Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop said that on the contrary, the Coalition’s policy took away the people smugglers’ ”product” – which was permanent residency in Australia.
”We won’t be offering permanent residency,” she told Channel 9. ”When the situation improves [in asylum seekers’ home countries], they can go home.”
Endnote: When you visit the story at the Brisbane Times, note the photo of the cute “refugee kids” playing behind a fence, then contrast that photo (the type always used by the media) with these photos of ‘asylum seekers’ in Australia at Bare Naked Islam.
Related Update July 31: Abbott beware, three of Obama’s “brains” arriving to help Rudd get re-elected, here.
Australia is awash with boat people mostly from Muslim countries like Afghanistan. What to do with them is really a pivotal issuein upcoming elections. Here in The Australian’s “Talking Points” section are two suggestions.
Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott
WRITING about the influx of illegal immigrants across the southern border of the US, columnist Michelle Malkin bluntly referred to it as an invasion. That is what Australia is experiencing now, and Tony Abbottis right in planning to put a top general in charge.
One solution to the problem of asylum-seekers is to airlift them to the nearest UN refugee camp where they can take their turn in line with all those who have been waiting.
At the same time, Australia should request wealthy and stable Muslim countries to take their share of those fleeing from violence. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the Gulf Emirates are wealthy and stable and import large numbers of workers. They should be expected to take their share.
I don’t know about Qatar and the Gulf Emirates, but Saudi Arabia takes no refugees. In fact there were many reports about the Saudi’s immediately sending Somalis, who were caught in SA, back to Mogadishu when it was controlled by the terrorists. The UNHCR is skittish, to say the least, about pressuring the ethnic nationalist Saudis.
Update: A reader just reminded me of a post I wrote in Aprilabout the UAE passing off their illegal immigrants to the US.
Way back in 2007, when Muslim refugees were being brought to the county where I live by the Virginia Council of Churches, I remember former Congressman Roscoe Bartlett asking logically ‘why aren’t they going to Saudi Arabia?’ Why of course, excellent idea!
Always remember, this is not about the poor and downtrodden (that is the pretense!), it is about Al Hijra!
Let me know if you are having trouble viewing the photo—it just disappeared for me.
