[Greens-Media] Cutting legal aid to refugees, dangerous and short-sighted

Mon Mar 31 10:52:09 EST 2014

MEDIA RELEASE

Monday, 31 March 2014

Cutting legal aid to refugees, dangerous and short-sighted

The Government's decision to cut legal aid to refugees is both cruel and short-sighted, the Australian Greens have said.

"This is an illogical, ideological attack on vulnerable people from a Government that is obsessed with denying protection to as many refugees as possible," the Greens' immigration spokesperson, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

"Refugees have broken no laws by coming to Australia and asking for protection, but this Government is treating them worse than murderers, rapists and white collar criminals.

"Helping people to complete their refugee claim means they aren't kept in detention longer than is needed, and that saves the Government money in the long run. It costs far more to keep refugees locked up unnecessarily than it does to give them basic legal help.

"By axing assistance to refugees, the Abbott Government is forcing community groups and churches to pick up the slack and do what's right.  That's not fair and it shows just how little Mr Abbott cares about the impacts of his aggressive policy.

"We already have dozens of people indefinitely detained with no hope of release and now the Government is taking away their access to legal representation.

"This is just more cruelty from a short-sighted Government that is obsessed with playing to the bigots."

Media Contact: Noah Schultz-Byard 0427 604 760

NOAH SCHULTZ-BYARD  STRATEGY AND COMMUNICATIONS ADVISER

OFFICE OF SENATOR SARAH HANSON-YOUNG
AUSTRALIAN GREENS SENATOR FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIA
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