ID :
206034
Thu, 09/08/2011 - 14:33
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/206034
The shortlink copeid
ALP puts Libs, Greens offside on refugees
SYDNEY (AAP) - 08 Sept - Prime Minister Julia Gillard is headed for battle with both the Greens and the coalition over asylum-seeker policy.
The government is reassessing its policy after the High Court quashed its deal with Malaysia to swap 800 people who arrive by boat for 4000 processed refugees.
Labor is expected to take to parliament amendments to migration laws and a bill dealing with child guardianship in order to reopen offshore processing and get the Malaysian deal back on track.
But it is understood that while it supports offshore processing, the coalition will push for migration law changes to ensure any country agreeing to host a processing centre must be party to the United Nations refugee convention.
Malaysia has not signed the convention but Nauru plans to do so later this month and Papua New Guinea is already a signatory.
The Greens want all processing to be done in Australia, to ensure human rights are respected and taxpayers are spared the cost of sending asylum seekers overseas.
Greens leader Senator Bob Brown told reporters in Hobart that Ms Gillard was taking the country into "unnecessarily cruel territory" by continuing to push for offshore processing.
"The prime minister has decided now to move to the right of Tony Abbott .. and John Howard," Senator Brown said.
"We are going to fight this right the way through the parliamentary process.
"The prime minister is wrong. She is downright wrong. She is letting down this country on immigration and the decent policy Australians want to see on asylum seekers."
He was also critical of immigration department advisers, who have told the government and opposition in briefings that offshore processing is necessary to stop a new flood of boat arrivals and ensure refugees who are accepted can integrate into the community smoothly.
Senator Brown said the advisers were "turkeys" and "xenophobic" and should be sacked.
Ms Gillard told reporters in New Zealand, after attending the Pacific Islands Forum, it was wrong for Senator Brown to attack officials.
"They are giving the best of their advice and experience," she said.
"As for my position on asylum seekers, what I want to see is, I want to see the people smugglers' business model smashed."
She said Mr Abbott was now aware - through the departmental briefing - that legislation would be needed and the Malaysian agreement had a "strong deterrence value".
"I will hope he will weigh these factors in the national interest," Ms Gillard said, adding that Mr Abbott had made an "open offer" of support to clear up the legal loophole.
Mr Abbott said the coalition would support legislation which gave greater certainty to offshore processing.
"It was good to find the departmental officials still believe in offshore processing and the pity is that the government has not taken that advice over the last four years," Mr Abbott told reporters.
But he said Nauru and PNG's Manus Island should be the focus of the government's policy.
Ms Gillard said she had spoken informally with the Nauruan leader on the sidelines of the forum in New Zealand and held formal talks with PNG's leader.
But in both cases she had told them the government had yet to decide on its new policy.
The government is reassessing its policy after the High Court quashed its deal with Malaysia to swap 800 people who arrive by boat for 4000 processed refugees.
Labor is expected to take to parliament amendments to migration laws and a bill dealing with child guardianship in order to reopen offshore processing and get the Malaysian deal back on track.
But it is understood that while it supports offshore processing, the coalition will push for migration law changes to ensure any country agreeing to host a processing centre must be party to the United Nations refugee convention.
Malaysia has not signed the convention but Nauru plans to do so later this month and Papua New Guinea is already a signatory.
The Greens want all processing to be done in Australia, to ensure human rights are respected and taxpayers are spared the cost of sending asylum seekers overseas.
Greens leader Senator Bob Brown told reporters in Hobart that Ms Gillard was taking the country into "unnecessarily cruel territory" by continuing to push for offshore processing.
"The prime minister has decided now to move to the right of Tony Abbott .. and John Howard," Senator Brown said.
"We are going to fight this right the way through the parliamentary process.
"The prime minister is wrong. She is downright wrong. She is letting down this country on immigration and the decent policy Australians want to see on asylum seekers."
He was also critical of immigration department advisers, who have told the government and opposition in briefings that offshore processing is necessary to stop a new flood of boat arrivals and ensure refugees who are accepted can integrate into the community smoothly.
Senator Brown said the advisers were "turkeys" and "xenophobic" and should be sacked.
Ms Gillard told reporters in New Zealand, after attending the Pacific Islands Forum, it was wrong for Senator Brown to attack officials.
"They are giving the best of their advice and experience," she said.
"As for my position on asylum seekers, what I want to see is, I want to see the people smugglers' business model smashed."
She said Mr Abbott was now aware - through the departmental briefing - that legislation would be needed and the Malaysian agreement had a "strong deterrence value".
"I will hope he will weigh these factors in the national interest," Ms Gillard said, adding that Mr Abbott had made an "open offer" of support to clear up the legal loophole.
Mr Abbott said the coalition would support legislation which gave greater certainty to offshore processing.
"It was good to find the departmental officials still believe in offshore processing and the pity is that the government has not taken that advice over the last four years," Mr Abbott told reporters.
But he said Nauru and PNG's Manus Island should be the focus of the government's policy.
Ms Gillard said she had spoken informally with the Nauruan leader on the sidelines of the forum in New Zealand and held formal talks with PNG's leader.
But in both cases she had told them the government had yet to decide on its new policy.