2022-05-12
MEDIA RELEASE
The Greens have renewed their push to end offshore detention, close the camps and lift Australia’s humanitarian intake to 50,000 places per year, launching today a comprehensive plan to make Australia’s immigration system fairer and more humane.
The Greens have vowed to push the next government to end the cruel treatment of refugees, also committing to end offshore boat turnbacks and hold a Royal Commission into the past decade of cruelty and torture.
The Greens will also push for a family reunion visa system that is fairer, faster and more affordable. In addition to the lift in Australia’s humanitarian intake to 50,000 places per year, there would also be special intakes for people fleeing Afghanistan and Ukraine.
The plan involves abolishing Peter Dutton’s Australian Border Force and restoring the Australian Customs Service instead, as well as creating a new dedicated civil maritime agency, the Australian Maritime Service (AMS) to protect our coastlines, oceans, environment, and economic activity, and for search and rescue of people in trouble in Australia’s waters.
Comments attributable to Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP
“For nine long years, the Liberal Government has made torturing Australia’s refugees a priority, and they’ve had the Labor party’s support every step of the way.”
“The Greens will push to close the camps, end offshore detention and create a fair and humane immigration system.”
“When people come here fleeing war and seeking our help, we should offer them an open hand not a closed fist.”
Comments attributable to Australian Greens Immigration and Citizenship spokesperson Senator Nick McKim:
“For far too long, cruelty and inhumanity have been the hallmarks of Australia’s immigration system.”
“It’s time for a change - we need an immigration system that puts people first.”
“Our humanitarian intake should be 50,000 places per year, with special intakes for people from Afghanistan and Ukraine.”
“Offshore detention has been a humanitarian disaster. We would end it, and hold a royal commission into the decade of inhumanity it has represented.”
“The Greens in balance of power would push the Labor Government to end offshore detention and boat turnbacks, and make family reunions fairer, faster and more affordable.”
Comments attributable to Greens candidate for Cooper, Celeste Liddle
“The Labor party is not a friend of refugees. Regardless of the good intentions of individual members, the dynamics of that party room means all Labor MPs end up voting with the Coalition to lock up and torture human beings for years on end. This cannot continue.”
"Voters of Cooper care deeply about the people who flee atrocities across the globe and try to seek asylum here. As an Aboriginal woman, I say the White Australia Policy mentality which informs so much of the current approach needs to be abandoned. We need a compassionate immigration system, and we need the voices of Cooper to be heard thoroughly on the floor of Parliament. That starts with voting Greens.”
Comments attributable to Greens candidate for Macnamara, Steph Hodgins-May
“In the lead-up to the election, the Labor Party has been proudly saying that their policy on refugees is the same as the Coalition’s. No one should be proud of a immigration regime that even Donald Trump thought was “worse” than he is.”
“We can’t just swap out the government and call the job done. It’s vital that we push Labor to become more compassionate - not continue with the flawed and cruel policies crafted by Peter Dutton as part of his campaign to become opposition leader.”
Learn more:
Greens Plan: FAIRER AND HUMANE MIGRATION SYSTEM