Red News Readers,
It is like this nation is
sleepwalking into the nightmare of an Abbott Government. There is still a chance
that we could have an Abbott Government this year. The Federal Parliamentary
Labor Party needs to get their act together, and changing the leadership is not
the only answer. They need to get on the front foot and sell the progressive
reform of the last 5 years. The problem with them selling their policy and
practice on refugees and asylum seekers is it is such a mash! And a mess! In my
view any person who votes left of centre in this country needs to get active in
a united push to defeat Abbott. Wake up Australia, an Abbott Government is not
for you!
Jenny Haines
Abbott announces
tougher asylum policy
June
9, 2012 - 12:49PM
Sydney
Morning Herald
AAP
Asylum seekers who are believed to have destroyed their documents before arriving in Australia will have a presumption against refugee status under a coalition government, Tony Abbott says.
As part of three policy "enhancements", which the opposition leader said would immediately be put in place under a coalition government, Mr Abbott said there would be a "strong presumption that illegal boat people who have destroyed their documents not be given refugee status".
Mr Abbott said the government would also ensure that his Immigration Minister "exercise the right" to appeal against affirmative decisions.
"This right has never been exercised under this government," he told reporters on Saturday.
This would ensure that "yeses are checked, not just noes", opposition spokesman for immigration Scott Morrison said.
"Under our current system noes are checked under an appeal process by applicants but yeses never get checked."
Under the third proposal put forward by Mr Abbott, an integrity commissioner would report to the minister every six months on what is happening to the processing success rates.
"What is happening now is that 90 per cent of people who arrive illegally via boat are given successful outcomes."
Mr Abbott said other countries had "heavier rates of rejection" and he wanted to know why this was the case.
The "enhancements" would be on top of the party's current immigration policy, which includes the re-establishment of offshore processing at Nauru, the re-introduction of temporary protection visas and the option of turning boats around.
It is not the first time the opposition has flagged a crackdown on asylum seekers entering Australia without proper documentation.
In April 2010, Mr Morrison said having correct documentation should be a "key requirement" for asylum seekers.
© 2012 AAP
