Labor bullish on Malaysia asylum-seeker processing plan

Asylum-seekers

The federal government is pressing ahead with its plan to process asylum-seekers in Malaysia despite uncertainty it will have the numbers.
Source: Supplied




THE federal government is pressing ahead with its plan to process asylum-seekers in Malaysia despite uncertainty it will have the numbers, Labor frontbencher Greg Combet says.


The government is set to try and pass draft laws to the lower house to change the Migration Act so it can process asylum seekers in Malaysia after the High Court ruled the move invalid.

The Australian reported on Friday that Prime Minister Julia Gillard would next week seek parliamentary support to revive the Malaysia solution in order to send 800 asylum seekers to the country for processing in exchange for 4000 refugees.

This follows the High Court’s decision which found the deal was unlawful and breached Australia’s protection obligations under the UN refugee convention.

Passage of the legislation hinges on West Australian Nationals MP and crossbencher Tony Crook as Tasmanian independent MP Andrew Wilkie and Greens MP Adam Bandt refusing to support the government on the move.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.


Asylum-seekers


Wedding






End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.

Mr Combet said he hoped Mr Crook would stand by earlier comments that the government should be afforded the opportunity to implement the policy.

“I hope that that will continue to occupy his thinking,” Mr Combet told ABC Television.

The minister refused to speculate as to whether the government would drop the legislation if it does not win Mr Crook’s support.

“Let’s wait and see but it’s very important the government can get on and implement its policy and put in place the best deterrent to stop people taking on what is a very dangerous voyage in which we have seen as being the cause of the loss of a lot of lives.

“It’s not for me to speculate about that, obviously we intend to try and have the amendments pass.”

The changes are set to fail in the Senate without the support of the Greens and the coalition.

AAP

You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

Leave a Reply

Powered by WordPress | Designed by: Premium WordPress Themes | Thanks to Themes Gallery, Bromoney and Wordpress Themes