Illegal Immigrants – Fresh Approach Needed

The Government through its Minister, Mr Ruddock has now been thrashing around for months trying to find solutions. Its response has included a number of tough measures which according to Ruddock withdraws the "pull" factor which he says provides incentives for overseas people smuggling gangs to choose Australia as a favoured destination.

Measures include the strengthening of legislation providing penalties of up to twenty years for direct involvement in people smuggling operations and a number of other measures.

In recent times, the Government has introduced a regulation providing for refugees to be only given a three year temporary residence visa if they have entered the country illegally. While this visa does not give the holder the right to sponsor family and to obtain travel rights, it nevertheless gives access to work permits, special benefits and some access to Medicare.

The Government also introduced amendments to the Border Protection Act which gives added powers to customs officials and allows them to carry firearms. The amendments also include provision for interception of ships carrying illegal immigrants in international waters.

All the above measures have received bi-partisan support from the Federal Opposition.

The most controversial of these measures was the three year temporary residence visa.

The debate was conducted at a time when Ruddock, playing wedge politics, made alarmist statements suggesting that up to ten thousand illegal immigrants were about to descend upon Australia with whole Middle Eastern villages preparing to pack up and head for Australia.

There is little doubt that the Minister plucked this figure out of the air and when questioned by journalists was either unwilling or unable to supply any credible details as to the reliability of his so called intelligence. In the Ministers own words, the boat arrivals had reached a "scale of ten on the Richter scale" and had become a "national emergency".

It is my firm view that faced with the frustration of not being able to handle the problem, he created a diversion to deflect attention away from his incompetent handling of the issue.

To date, the evidence suggests that nothing the Government has done seems to be working. Indeed, shortly after the passing of legislation to substantially increase penalties for people smuggling, the number of arrivals dramatically increased and continue to arrive with alarming regularity.

What then is the solution to this crisis? Given the Government’s efforts seem to be having little or no effect, the Federal Opposition suggests a fresh approach.

Firstly, an effective coast guard, modelled on the United States should be considered. We believe this would provide a strong deterrent to overseas people smugglers and would give them the clear message Australia is a "no go" zone.