[Greens-Media] Surf life saving scheme destined to flounder as hardline policies continue

[Edwards, Jon (Sen K. Nettle)]

09.05.06

GREENS IMMIGRATION BUDGET COMMENT

Surf life saving scheme destined to flounder as hardline policies
continue

Greens Immigration Spokesperson, Senator Kerry Nettle, has questioned
the effectiveness of a programme to teach non-Anglo kids surf-lifesaving
whilst continuing to run aggressive anti-refugee policies.

"$900,000 to promote surf life saving for non-Anglo kids will not solve
racial problems in southern Sydney whilst the big picture is still about
rejecting asylum seekers and creating a climate of distrust and fear.

"This government is spending over $100 million to lock up asylum seekers
on remote islands, and has spent over $1bn in attacking Iraq and
continues to introduce draconian security laws. The impact these
policies are having on multicultural harmony will not be patched up with
a few bucks for surf life-saving classes.

"Compassion is cheaper and more effective than razorwire but this
government won't learn that lesson.

"Today's budget confirms a shift in the long term detention policy for
asylum seekers from onshore to offshore with the continuing construction
of an 800 bed facility on Christmas Island.

"Nauru is still costing millions per year, although the true figure is
hidden because the Memorandum of Understanding with Nauru that contains
the true figures is secret.

"The closure of Woomera detention centre is meaningless whilst
construction goes ahead on an 800 bed facility on Christmas Island to
replace it.

"This government claimed that asylum seekers arriving by boat would take
the places of other refugees, but with boat arrivals at nearly zero the
minister has instead frozen the number of humanitarian refugee places at
13,000.

"Australia's immigration policy will continue to ferment division and
waste millions of dollars in unnecessarily draconian measures unless a
fundamental cultural shift occurs. This budget is evidence that the
department has not undergone fundamental cultural shift."


Contact - Jon Edwards 0428 213 146