[Greens-Media] Put Cambodia deal to Parliament: Greens

[Schultz-Byard, Noah (Sen S. Hanson-Young)]

MEDIA RELEASE

Monday, 24 November 2014

Put Cambodia deal to Parliament: Greens

Following her return from a fact-finding mission to Cambodia, the Greens' immigration spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has called on the Abbott government to put their refugee deal to the Australian Parliament.

"If the government believes this dodgy deal is the best way to spend over $40m of tax payer money, they should put it to the Parliament," Senator Hanson-Young said.

"While I was in Cambodia many NGOs and community groups said that, if the deal with Australia does go ahead, it will be disastrous.

"The providers who I met with can't deal with the handful of refugees who are already there. This deal will see hundreds more refugees dumped in a developing nation that simply can't handle it.

"Corruption is endemic in Cambodia and will be a constant barrier stopping refugees from gaining work, education, citizenship and identification papers.

"Unlike the Minister, I actually went to see the realities of life in Cambodia. I urge Scott Morrison to go to the slums in Phnom Penh and to the regional areas that struggle with unemployment, rather than just clinking champagne with government Ministers.

"This deal is a disaster waiting to happen. It will condemn families to a life of poverty and abject destitution and will expose young women and girls to a dangerous sex industry.

"The government should present this deal to the Parliament, have the debate and stop hiding behind a wall of secrecy."


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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