Parliament set to pass bill to abolish detention debts for refugees

Australian Christian Lobby Newsletter

June, 2009

In a compassionate move which looks set to remove a significant burden from refugees, legislation is being debated in Federal Parliament to abolish charges levied on asylum seekers held in detention.

The policy of charging refugees for the cost of their own detention has reportedly been in place for 17 years and was originally introduced by former Keating government immigration minister Gerry Hand.

The Government bill to overturn it is being opposed by the Federal Opposition – with some dissension in the ranks - but is expected to pass through the House of Representatives today and then go to the Senate, where it is also expected to gain support.
Yesterday some of the most ardent support for the bill came from Liberal backbencher Petro Georgiou who is among several MPs planning to break ranks with their party to vote for the abolition of detention bills which have been described as “another form of torture”.

"Do we charge drug dealers? Serial paedophiles? Sadistic murderers? Multiple rapists the cost of their detention?" Mr Georgiou asked in a speech to Parliament. "The charging of people who arrive on our shores seeking protection, the cost of their detention is part of the way in which we have demonised them and presented them as being worse than criminals."

Media reports indicate that detainees can face debts totalling more than $45,000 for each year of incarceration. If the bill is passed, almost $9 million in debt will be lifted from as many as 474 refugees, who have been charged for the cost of their own detention. Please click here for details.

Coalition immigration spokeswoman Sharman Stone has said that abolishing detention debt will remove one more deterrent to people smugglers bringing boats to Australia. In that respect the Opposition may well feel supported by news this week of the 14th boat this year being intercepted in the process of carrying suspected asylum seekers to Australia.

However the reality is that since the scheme was implemented most of the debts have had to be written off because it has proved uneconomical to collect them. They have, however, placed a heavy financial burden on former detainees already faced with the challenges of building a new life in Australia. Importantly, the legislation does not apply to people smugglers or illegal fishermen, who will still face sanctions.

Meanwhile in an article in Saturday’s The Age, Professor James C. Hathaway from the University of Melbourne Law School suggests that Australia take the lead in developing a system that offers refugees real protection.

Please click here to read the article.