Illegal Immigrants – Fresh Approach Needed

The Government has rejected the suggestion, although I am sure the Australian public would welcome such a move.

Secondly, and just as importantly, the Federal Opposition has been urging the Government to redouble its diplomatic efforts in the source countries of these illegal immigrants.

This approach has worked in the past. Some months ago intelligence reports were received by the Government advising that some two thousand people were ready to board a large ship in Mogadishu in Somalia, with the intent of travelling to Australia as part of a people smuggling operation. The Government to its credit was able to use diplomatic and other measures to stop this ship.

Further, up to some four months ago, most of the illegal boat arrivals were coming from the Fujian Province in China. The Government with the strong support and urging of the Opposition sent high level delegations to the Fujian Province and engaged local authorities and Governmental officials explaining that if they persisted in coming to Australia they would be swiftly processed and deported back.

In fact, it is not well known that illegal immigrants who are simply economic refugees are deported back to their country within a period of no more than four to six weeks.

These efforts have proved successful and for some months now to my knowledge there have been no arrivals from the Fujian Province.

What I cannot understand is why the Government refuses to accept our suggestions and try the same tactics in source countries where the latest arrivals are coming from.

Further, the Government should intensify its efforts in rebuilding our relationships with Indonesia. Prior to the events in East Timor, Indonesia was of great assistance in helping us with this problem.

It is obvious the solution lies in increased resources for better policing using Federal Police, immigration and customs officers, as well as increased diplomatic and intelligence efforts in overseas source countries. Instead, the Government over recent years has substantially decreased resources to these agencies.

The Labor Shadow Ministry last week set up a working group, chaired by me, to come up with suggestions and a response to the illegal immigrant problem. This working group will make its proposals public within months and hopefully the Government will take some notice, although I must admit I am not holding my breath.

The Prime Minister and Philip Ruddock need to accept the fact that the measures they have imposed are simply not working. The more domestic laws we seem to pass the more the illegal arrivals seem to come.

They must realise that this is an international problem, and therefore, an international solution must be found. They will no longer be able to blame everyone else but themselves and create useless sideshows simply to deflect attention away from their obvious inability or indeed incompetence to handle the problem. They are the Government and they are responsible for dealing with incursions and maintaining the integrity of our national borders. They have received every co-operation from us, and we will continue to assist the Government where possible. We will not support equal access to entitlements for refugees who come in via the back door because they can afford it when those that do the right thing are displaced in the queue.

Mr Ruddock needs to re-evaluate the situation and take a completely fresh approach.

Along with the majority of the Australian public we want a solution found. So far the Government simply does not seem to be up to the task.