09.Nov

November 09th, 2016

Asylum seekers facing lifetime ban from Australia

EDITOR:	Vanessa Ellingham

The Australian government is planning to ban asylum seekers who reach Australia by boat from ever being allowed into the country.

Australia already deflects responsibility for asylum seekers arriving by boat by sending them to third countries like Nauru, where asylum seekers have been committing suicide in protest of the unbearable living conditions.

This new policy would extend the rejection of responsibility for these desperate people by banning them from ever entering Australia on any visa, even as tourists or as spouses. Even if they are one day resettled refugees in another country, they will never be allowed into Australia, even just to visit.

What this proves is that Australia's shameless "stop the boats" policy was never about protecting people from human trafficking, as has been claimed, but about punishing desperate people for something that is not a crime: seeking asylum.

This ban would imply that seeking asylum is a crime.

It would mar blameless refugees with a permanent tag, separate families, and prevent Australia from reaping the benefits of refugees' skills, many of whom go on to contribute generously to their new home countries.

Meanwhile, New Zealand has offered to resettle a number of the asylum seekers currently in detention on Nauru and Manus Island, but Australia has refused the offer.

Seems like the Australian government really just wants these people to languish in squalidity.