[Greens-Media] Hanson-Young: New border protection agency must service human rights

[Clark, Gemma (Sen S. Hanson-Young)]

Thursday 4 December 2008

New border protection agency must service human rights

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says the Government's new Australian
Customs and Border Protection Service must treat compassionately and
humanely people who arrive by boat to seek asylum in Australia.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced the formation of the new agency
today, a day after a boat of 35 suspected asylum seekers was intercepted
off the Western Australian coast and escorted to Christmas Island for
detention. 

"What kind of service will this new agency be offering to those who need
our assistance and protection?" asked Senator Hanson-Young.

"We cannot forget: it is not illegal to seek asylum. It is a right under
international law."

Senator Hanson-Young said that Australia must learn from the mistakes of
its past immigration policies.

"We have an opportunity to move forward to a more humane, compassionate
approach to the treatment of asylum seekers, and the opportunity to
rebuild Australia's international reputation," she said.

"Let's not allow ourselves to slide back to the dark days of the Howard
and Ruddock immigration regime and all that it brought: Tampa, children
overboard, the reprehensible tragedy of the SIEV-X and more than 200
cases of lawful residents being detained.

"The politics of fear must not cloud our actions on matters of human
rights and justice."

Senator Hanson-Young expressed concern at the detention on Christmas
Island of those who recently arrived on boat.

"Christmas Island's detention facilities should be closed, and we should
do away with this 'out-of-sight, out-of-mind' attitude towards asylum
seekers who arrive by boat.

"All processing of claims for asylum should be done promptly and fairly
on the Australian mainland, where processes can be overseen and
community support services can be more easily accessed.

"The Greens will be closely monitoring the progress of the detainees on
Christmas Island."

Media contact: Gemma Clark on 0427 604 760