Australia yesterday defended its move to release about 100 boat people seeking asylum into the community each month, saying it was the practical reality of its failed refugee swap with Malaysia.
Australian Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said asylum seekers who posed no health or security risk could now be released from government detention and placed on bridging visas while their refugee claims were assessed.
Previously, asylum seekers who arrived by boat were locked up — mostly at remote facilities such as the Indian Ocean outpost of Christmas Island — until their refugee status had been finalized.
The change means they will be able to live in the community and work to support themselves while they are processed, the same way that visa overstayers and asylum seekers who arrive by airplane are dealt with.
“Not everybody will be issued a bridging visa,” Bowen told Sky News, saying the numbers did not justify alarm. “Yesterday I issued 27 bridging visas and we expect at least 100 a month going forward.”
Bowen said he expected more boat people to make the risky sea voyage to Australia in the wake of the failure of the government’s offshore processing scheme designed to deter people-smuggling.
Canberra wanted to transfer 800 maritime arrivals to Malaysia in return for accepting 4,000 of Kuala Lumpur’s registered refugees, but the High Court blocked the plan. The opposition rejected changing the law to allow it.
“Onshore processing is now the practical and legal reality, it is the only lawful thing to do,” Bowen said, adding that the government believed bridging visas were a better way to handle arrivals than expanding detention facilities.
Priority for the visas will be given to those who have spent the longest time in detention, have experienced torture or trauma or have family or friends who can support them.
About 3,800 people are currently held in Australian immigration detention.
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