[Greens-Media] Greens push for climate refugee visa

[Edwards, Jon (Sen K. Nettle)]

Greens push for climate refugee visa

8 April 2007

Australian Greens spokesperson on Immigration, Senator Kerry Nettle,
told   protesters gathered outside the Prime Minister's residence in
Kirribilli today that The Greens will introduce a private members bill
to establish a process for recognising and accepting climate refugees in
Australia.

The Easter refugee protesters gathered outside the Prime Minister's
residence to call for a more compassionate approach to refugees in
Australia

"This century will be the century of climate refugees, and Australia
must recognise and prepare for this," said Senator Nettle.

"As the major Pacific power, Australia must pull its weight in assisting
our Pacific neighbours who will be the first to be displaced by climate
change.

"Already the inhabitants of the Carteret Islands in Papua New Guinea are
being relocated because of rising sea levels and New Zealand has an
immigration program for climate refugees from Tuvalu and Kiribati.

"The IPCC concludes that even a one metre sea level rise is "likely to
affect 200-450 million people in the Asia-Pacific region".

"In the next sitting of Parliament I will introduce a bill to amend the
Migration Act to insert a new visa class called a 'climate refugee
visa'.  

This will enable the Immigration Minister to allocate a set number of
visas for refugees displaced by a climate change related disaster.  

"The Greens know that Australia could easily take around 300 people per
year from Tuvalu and Kiribati, but the Howard government has ignored
their pleas for assistance.

"In the absence of an international agreement on climate refugees,
Australia should take a lead by formulating its own climate refugee
program.

"If the Greens gain the balance of power in the Senate at the next
election, we will push for a climate refugee visa as well as a yearly
quota for Pacific countries.  We will also push for Australia to work
internationally for an international agreement on climate refugees."

Contact: Jon Edwards  0428 213 146