LABOR’S SOFT BORDER POLICY HITS LOCALS
28-September-2009
The recent influx of asylum seekers is putting pressure on the Immigration Department and means that local people who have applied for citizenship are being made to wait longer than originally estimated.
Sophie Mirabella MP, Federal Member for Indi believes that this is a direct result of the Rudd Government’s softening of Australia’s border protection policy.
“Since the Rudd Government softened our border protection policy in August 35 boats have arrived in Australian waters with 1719 asylum seekers,” Mrs Mirabella said.
In addition, the media has reported over the weekend that two more boats were detected off Australia’s borders with around 40 asylum seekers on board.
“This influx of people means that the Immigration Department has its hands full trying to process these people, meaning that local people who have applied for citizenship through the correct channels have to wait,”
“It is quite distressing for people who have done the right thing and have complied with Australia’s citizenship requirements but are being told to wait,” Mrs Mirabella said.
Mrs Mirabella said that it is also not the fault of Immigration Department officials who are doing the best they can with limited resources.
The Government cut 416 staff from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship in the 2009-2010 Budget. This is on top of the 210 cut in their last budget. The department has also been asked to provide efficiency savings of $120.6 million over four years.
“Immigration officials are doing the best they can with the limited resources they have,” Mrs Mirabella said.
The Government is so concerned about the surge in boat arrivals that it is reportedly considering using defence bases to house asylum seekers. “This shows that the Rudd Government’s immigration policies are in chaos and these issues must be addressed,”
“The only people to benefit from Labor’s soft border protection policies are the people smugglers – meanwhile asylum seekers are risking their lives and local visa applicants are being pushed to the end of the queue,” Mrs Mirabella concluded.
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