Aussie opposition again urged to back asylum deal
Published: Nov 23, 2011 7:03 AM | Updated: Nov 23, 2011 7:05 AM
The Australian government has again asked the opposition party to support its bill to allow offshore processing of asylum seekers in Malaysia.
The Australian government has again asked the opposition party to support its bill to allow offshore processing of asylum seekers in Malaysia.
Australian authorities intercepted a boat carrying 116 asylum seekers near Christmas Island yestereday, adding to a steadily rising number of arrivals since last month.
Australia’s Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said Opposition Leader Tony Abbott should support Labor’s bill.
“If the opposition is saying today that they want to see offshore processing revived, good. Let them vote for it in the House of Representatives,” he was quoted as telling reporters in Canberra today.
Until then, Abbott’s complaints about boat arrivals would be hollow words, he said.
“They have made a political decision, a calculation, that it is not in their political interests to see boat arrivals in Australia stop.
“And, therefore, anything they say is a hollow complaint because they won’t vote for the legislation that would allow us, and allow them... to implement offshore processing.”
Canberra abandoned a plan to put its bill to a vote on Oct 13 after it became clear it could not win enough parliamentary support for it.
The opposition says it would only support the bill if the government supported its amendments, which would allow its preferred offshore processing option of Nauru, but forbids Malaysia because it is not a party to the United Nations Refugee Convention.
- Bernama
Australian authorities intercepted a boat carrying 116 asylum seekers near Christmas Island yestereday, adding to a steadily rising number of arrivals since last month.
Australia’s Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said Opposition Leader Tony Abbott should support Labor’s bill.
“If the opposition is saying today that they want to see offshore processing revived, good. Let them vote for it in the House of Representatives,” he was quoted as telling reporters in Canberra today.
Until then, Abbott’s complaints about boat arrivals would be hollow words, he said.
“They have made a political decision, a calculation, that it is not in their political interests to see boat arrivals in Australia stop.
“And, therefore, anything they say is a hollow complaint because they won’t vote for the legislation that would allow us, and allow them... to implement offshore processing.”
Canberra abandoned a plan to put its bill to a vote on Oct 13 after it became clear it could not win enough parliamentary support for it.
The opposition says it would only support the bill if the government supported its amendments, which would allow its preferred offshore processing option of Nauru, but forbids Malaysia because it is not a party to the United Nations Refugee Convention.
- Bernama
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