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Scott Morrison signals U-turn on offshore transfer for asylum seekers Scott Morrison signals U-turn on offshore transfer for asylum seekers
(about 1 hour later)
The government is considering giving temporary protection visas to some asylum seekers who arrived by boat after the policy of mandatory resettlement, marking a potentially huge U-turn in the Coalition’s hardline immigration policy.The government is considering giving temporary protection visas to some asylum seekers who arrived by boat after the policy of mandatory resettlement, marking a potentially huge U-turn in the Coalition’s hardline immigration policy.
During a speech to the National Press Club in Canberra immigration minister Scott Morrison said the government was “open to alternatives” for processing asylum seekers who had yet to be transferred offshore but had arrived between July 19 (when Kevin Rudd introduced the so-called PNG solution) and 31 December.During a speech to the National Press Club in Canberra immigration minister Scott Morrison said the government was “open to alternatives” for processing asylum seekers who had yet to be transferred offshore but had arrived between July 19 (when Kevin Rudd introduced the so-called PNG solution) and 31 December.
“Now, while it will continue to be the policy of the government that anyone who arrives illegally by boat will be transferred to offshore processing, as the 157 passengers on the recent Indian venture quickly discovered, the government is open to alternatives for the earlier July 19 to December 31 caseload, but not those who may arrive now or may have already been transferred,” Morrison said on Wednesday.“Now, while it will continue to be the policy of the government that anyone who arrives illegally by boat will be transferred to offshore processing, as the 157 passengers on the recent Indian venture quickly discovered, the government is open to alternatives for the earlier July 19 to December 31 caseload, but not those who may arrive now or may have already been transferred,” Morrison said on Wednesday.
Morrison indicated that those who arrived in that time period and had not been transferred could be given temporary protection visas as he continues his attempts to engage with cross bench senators to bring the visas back into use.Morrison indicated that those who arrived in that time period and had not been transferred could be given temporary protection visas as he continues his attempts to engage with cross bench senators to bring the visas back into use.
“A temporary protection visa would ensure the people smugglers’ promise of permanent settlement would not have been honoured, maintaining the integrity of the government’s border protection regime, while providing an alternative to the costly and avoidable transfer of people, including families with children to Nauru,” the minister said.“A temporary protection visa would ensure the people smugglers’ promise of permanent settlement would not have been honoured, maintaining the integrity of the government’s border protection regime, while providing an alternative to the costly and avoidable transfer of people, including families with children to Nauru,” the minister said.
If the Coalition were to go through with the proposal it would affect hundreds if not thousands of asylum seekers – mostly detained on Christmas Island.If the Coalition were to go through with the proposal it would affect hundreds if not thousands of asylum seekers – mostly detained on Christmas Island.
Conditions for asylum seekers on Christmas Island - some of whom have been detained there for over a year - have been the subject of numerous scandals since the Coalition took office. In December Guardian Australia obtained a 92 page letter of concern signed by 15 doctors working in detention on Christmas Island, which outlined appalling standards of medical care for asylum seekers held there. More recently a group of asylum seeker mothers were involved in episodes of threatened and actual self-harm, and a leaked internal report revealed that the government had been warned that the policy of mandatory offshore resettlement would result in higher rates of self-harm – particularly on Christmas Island.
Morrison made clear that any new arrivals by boat would still be sent to offshore processing.Morrison made clear that any new arrivals by boat would still be sent to offshore processing.
Greens immigration spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young seized on the potential U-turn as a “clear admission that offshore processing has collapsed”. “Dumping the government’s commitment to offshore processing like this is a major policy backflip on the back of a major policy failure.Greens immigration spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young seized on the potential U-turn as a “clear admission that offshore processing has collapsed”. “Dumping the government’s commitment to offshore processing like this is a major policy backflip on the back of a major policy failure.
“Until now there was an arbitrary date that decided where people will be dumped, but this announcement has left that in doubt. The lottery has become even shoddier and no one knows the odds.”“Until now there was an arbitrary date that decided where people will be dumped, but this announcement has left that in doubt. The lottery has become even shoddier and no one knows the odds.”
Hanson-Young called on the Coalition to release children detained offshore on Nauru.Hanson-Young called on the Coalition to release children detained offshore on Nauru.
“There are over 200 children on Nauru who are suffering every day. The minister needs to bring these children and their families to Australia so that they can have their claims processed like everyone else.”“There are over 200 children on Nauru who are suffering every day. The minister needs to bring these children and their families to Australia so that they can have their claims processed like everyone else.”
During an extended speech, Morrison argued that the Coalition’s track record and hardline stance on border protection had killed the debate on how to deal with the issue of irregular maritime migration.During an extended speech, Morrison argued that the Coalition’s track record and hardline stance on border protection had killed the debate on how to deal with the issue of irregular maritime migration.
“The grand policy experiment on border protection is over. It is the Coalition’s policies that effectively stop the boats and you remove them at a terrible price. That argument, that debate, l believe, is settled. It’s time to move on,” Morrison said.“The grand policy experiment on border protection is over. It is the Coalition’s policies that effectively stop the boats and you remove them at a terrible price. That argument, that debate, l believe, is settled. It’s time to move on,” Morrison said.
Morrison also conceded the difficulties in implementing a resettlement agreement in Papua New Guinea, where no asylum seekers have been resettled since the July 19 announcement.Morrison also conceded the difficulties in implementing a resettlement agreement in Papua New Guinea, where no asylum seekers have been resettled since the July 19 announcement.
“There is still some distance to travel, and it’s frustrating” Morrison said of getting the resettlement agreement implemented, “but I’m still confident we will get there.”“There is still some distance to travel, and it’s frustrating” Morrison said of getting the resettlement agreement implemented, “but I’m still confident we will get there.”
He added that PNG prime minister Peter O’Neill and immigration minister Rimbink Pato were still “rock solid in their support” for the deal.He added that PNG prime minister Peter O’Neill and immigration minister Rimbink Pato were still “rock solid in their support” for the deal.