Shadow ministers rebuke new border legislation

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Created on Wednesday, 31 October 2012 17:23

Written by Editorial staff

The federal government is looking to introduce legislation which will excise the Australian mainland from the migration zone in an attempt to nullify the promises of people smugglers that illegal arrivals will make it to the mainland.

The theory is that arrivals will dissipate if there is no hope of arriving on Australia's shores. But shadow spokesperson for immigration and citizenship Scott Morrison told Macquarie Radio's Ben Fordham this is a pointless exercise.

"Not one boat has turned up at the Australian mainland of the more than 450 odd that have turned up over the last four years.

"The water taxi that Julia Gillard runs brings people to the mainland and I think that’s what this is primarily about," he said.

He said that should these laws pass, it would mean that any boat people who make it to the mainland without an immigration visa would have the same status as if they arrived on an offshore processing facility like Christmas Island.

Scott went on to say on radio that the government has shown a large level of hypocrisy by introducing this policy, as the same proposal was brought forward in 2006 under the Howard government - which was lampooned by the then opposition.

Chris Bowen as a MP said at the time that should the bill be passed, it would ".....be a stain on our national character," he stated.

The Australian today (October 31) lists a litany of Labor parliamentarians who when in opposition, spoke out against the bill with gusto.

It comes as the federal government introduced its white paper on the Asian century as to how best benefit from the booming Asian community through language, economics and tourism.

Opposition leader Tony Abbott said that it is ironic that the government is promoting relations with Asia through this white paper when so many times before it has damaged diplomatic ties. Examples he cited included cutting off live cattle exports to Indonesia and causing a litany of asylum seekers to flood Indonesia and Malaysia as they attempt to reach Australia because of the nation's nearly non-existent border policy.

Liana Allan from Migration Alliance said that this white paper is a simple publicity stunt.

"The ironically named Asian Century 'White Paper' is the latest effort by the ALP to increase votes in tough times.

"I believe that Australians and migrants are irritated by the failings of current government and that people would like a new Parliament," she said.