Detainee numbers reach record levels

Details

Created on Tuesday, 09 October 2012 17:18

Written by Editorial staff

The federal government's offshore processing solution, which was introduced in mid-August has copped a blow after News Limited reports that more and more asylum seekers are arriving on Australia's shores.

The number of people in detention across the country has topped 8,700 people with another boat load of 101 asylum seekers arriving in the last 24 hours without any immigration visa or form of identification.

The Australian reports that Christmas Island has become so full that families have been placed in camps typically reserved for adult males.

Shadow minister for immigration Scott Morrison told the publication that the government's solution has simply failed and there is no foreseeable solution whilst Labor is in government.

"With more than 2,200 people on the island, including a larger number of family groups (of) women and children, this will put significant pressure on an already overstressed network.

"Worse still, there is no relief in sight as the unprecedented rate of illegal arrivals to Australia by boat continues," he said.

A spokesperson for immigration minister Chris Bowen seemed to be unable to provide a clear answer when contacted by News Limited about the story, suggesting that whilst the immigration department was coping well with the intake of boat people, it was the opposition's fault for standing in the way of border protection.

The spokesperson seemed to think on the one hand, there wasn't a problem with the number of arrivals, then on the other hand, blamed Tony Abbott for standing in the way of effective border policy.

Scott Morrison said on October 5 that the DIAC had denied requests from the opposition to allow members of the Coalition to travel to PNG and Nauru to tour the processing centres. The opposition is not entitled to overseas travel entitlements or visitation to Christmas Island.

It come as the Department of Immigration and Citizenship has cancelled in excess of 10,000 student visas in the last year due to the failure to meet the requirements of their courses, a prerequisite to maintain the validity of the visas, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

In the year to June 2012, over 2,000 student visas were cancelled due to a lack of attendance or completion of course requirement. There were over 3,000 student visa that were cancelled due to the fact that there were some students who weren't genuine students.

Students from overseas contributed over $16 billion in export income in the year to the end of 2012.