Refugee Action Coalition Media Release
Immigration Minister Andrew Giles claimed that Labor reforms, “…will ensure that those found to be owed Australia’s protection will have access to quicker and fairer assessment of their claims, allowing them to rebuild their lives with certainty and stability,” and that Labor wants to “reform the migration system to prevent future exploitation.”
But since it was elected in May 2022, Labor has ignored the situation of the 10,000 asylum seekers processed under the flawed fast track refugee assessment of asylum seekers who have arrived by boat.
“Many of these asylum seekers do not even have the right to work or Medicare and are among the most vulnerable of all people on temporary visas,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.
Currently there is a protest outside both Clare O’Neil’s electorate office in Melbourne and Anthony Albanese office in Sydney, while 22 women from Sri Lanka and Iran are walking form Melbourne to Canberra to raise awareness of the 10,000 on bridging visas or ceased visas many with no work or Medicare rights, or any right to study for them or their children. (Photos attached of protest outside Albanese electorate office Tuesday, 3 October.)
“We are demanding justice, protection, and certainty for all refugees, asylum-seekers, and their families. We believe that no one should be left behind, and that the rights of all refugees must be recognized and upheld. This includes study rights for their children and work rights for adults,” said one of the Tamil walkers, Geetha Ramachandran.
More protests are being planned. (Melbourne rally, Sunday 8 October,2pm State Library; Sydney Sunday 29 October, 2pm, Sydney Town Hall.)
Labor has recognised that fast track is fundamentally flawed but will do nothing to fix it, or provide a pathway to permanent visas for the fast track victims although they have been in Australia for 11 years and longer.
Labor’s announcement of “last in, first processed” can’t be an excuse to leave the 10,000 in limbo any longer. If Labor really wants to ‘reform the migration system to prevent future exploitation’, they can’t ignore the 10,000 victims of fast track. This is a backlog that can be easily, and should be immediately, fixed,” said Rintoul.
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