Will job losses, fee hikes, a compromise on service standards and a dilution of Australia’s humanitarian commitments be the legacy of the new budget and the potentially departing immigration minister, Scott Morrison?
It has come as no surprise that the Budget has taken a tough stand on matters connected with illegal immigration. It is a culmination of Immigration minister Scott Morrison’s tough stance that has become steadily bolder and more uncompromising. But the new super-agency for border protection should not and cannot be allowed to be shaded in secrecy.
Noticeably, the Budget has hit illegal immigration hard. Unfortunately, it may also hit hard genuine refugees. For one, the Immigration Advice and Application Assistance Scheme (IAAAS) which largely helps pay for legal advice for protection visa applicants has been axed. In addition to this, some 4000 places in the family stream allocated to illegal maritime arrivals have been removed. These together have sealed a life-saving avenue for genuine refugees.
Of particular concern is the establishment of the Australian Border Force (ABF). Clearly emboldened by the success of 'Operation Sovereign Borders', the government has now decided to merge customs and immigration border operations into one unit with purportedly an uncompromising focus on border protection. The United Nations High Commission on Refugees and Amnesty International have criticised this suggesting that the Coalition government is plumbing new depths in international relations and obligations.
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