[Greens-Media] Sen KERRY NETTLE: Refugee camp TAFEs wrong headed:

[Edwards, Jon (Sen K. Nettle)]

Refugee camp TAFEs wrong headed: 
asylum seekers living in Australia should be given work rights.

6 September 2006

Australian Greens Senator Kerry Nettle today criticised the idea of
establishing TAFE like training for refugees waiting in overseas camps
and instead moved an amendment to the Migration Act to allow long-term
bridging visa E (BVE) holders to work after 28 days, only to see it
voted down by the government and opposition.  

Currently many asylum seekers living in the community spend many months
or years unable to work and reliant on charity to survive. 

"It's ludicrous for the Federal Government to suggest building TAFEs in
African refugee camps when there are asylum seekers already in Australia
with skills who are prevented from working," said Senator Nettle.

"Thousands of Bridging Visa E holders are currently living hand-to-mouth
unable to work or even get health care and are reliant on charity to
survive, but the government is unwilling to let them work.

"There were 7,927 BVE holders in 2005 and some asylum seekers have been
on a bridging visa E for many years.

"It makes sense that if a person is on a bridging visa E for longer than
a month, then they should be able to work and pay their way in
Australian society.  The Parliament should have supported this
amendment.

"The recent Senate Inquiry into the Migration Act recommended that
Bridging Visa E holders be given work rights.  

"A report commissioned by the Uniting Church found that many bridging
visa E holders possess skills that are in demand in the Australian
economy and that granting them work rights would contribute
approximately $188 million to the Australian economy over three years.

"Bridging Visa E holders are forgotten people in the government's harsh
attitude toward asylum seekers."  

Contact: Jon Edwards - 0428 213 146