Australian Federal Election 2013 – My View on - Immigration

In this week’s blog, the topic that people are concerned with is:

•    Immigration    

I will be tackling each of the main parties’ views on this topic. Further, I will put my views on the topic and if I believe either of the main parties and their views.

Infrastructure
Liberal	Labor
All below are taken from Liberal Party of Australia’s website	All below are taken from the Compliance and immigration detention policy
We will re-introduce the use of Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs) to deny the people smugglers a product to sell.	Labor expects that people who come to Australia enter and leave in accordance with their visa conditions Labor is committed to the integrity of Australia’s visa programs, including student visas.
We will immediately give new orders to the Navy to tackle illegal boat arrivals and ‘turn back’ the boats where safe to do so.	Labor’s immigration processes should be underpinned by robust, efficient and transparent processes focused on prompt and fair resolution of status for those seeking migration outcomes.
	For the Australian people to have confidence in the integrity of our migration system, Labor will: ●employ a risk-based approach to the management of immigration clients which emphasises robust, efficient, consistent, independent and transparent processes which support the prompt resolution of immigration status ●enforce compliance with visa conditions that support the orderly processing of migration to our country
We will not allow illegal boat arrivals and people smugglers to either determine Australia’s immigration programme, or undermine the Australian people’s confidence in the programme. We will deliver stronger borders – where the boats are stopped – with tough and proven measures. We will establish presumption against refugee status for people who arrive on boats without identity papers. Where asylum seekers deliberately discard their identity documentation, we will deny them the benefit of doubt when determining their refugee status. We will establish and increase mandatory minimum jail sentences for people smugglers. We will ensure a minimum of 1,000 refugee places are reserved for the most vulnerable refugees, in particular women at risk of violence and harm.	Under Labor’s policies, the presumption will be that unauthorised arrivals who enter for the purpose of seeking asylum will, after appropriate checks are undertaken, be granted bridging visas with work rights and means-tested access to migration assistance while the merits of their applications are assessed: persons will be detained only if the need is established. Labor’s humane and risk-based immigration detention policies and practices will be guided by key immigration detention values: ●to support the integrity of Australia’s immigration program, three groups will be subject to mandatory detention: ●all unauthorised arrivals, for management of health, identity and security risks to the community. Labor will strive to ensure this is for 90 days only ●unlawful non-citizens who present proven unacceptable risks to the community ●unlawful non-citizens who have been proven to persistently refuse to comply with their visa conditions ●children, and where possible their families, will not be detained in an immigration detention centre (IDC) and, wherever appropriate, will be released on a bridging visa ●detention that is indefinite or otherwise arbitrary is not acceptable and the length and conditions of detention, including the appropriateness of both the accommodation and the services provided, will be subject to regular review ●detention in an immigration detention centre is only to be used as a last resort and for the shortest practicable time ●people in detention will be treated fairly and reasonably within the law ●conditions of detention will ensure the inherent dignity of the human person
	The management of immigration detention centres will remain with private sector management for the term of the current contracts. A government evaluation to determine the future form of detention facility and detention services management will be commenced no later than two years prior to the end of the term of the current contracts. The evaluation process must take into account the views of all stakeholders, including the relevant trade unions.
	Recognising the inequities of the policy of charging immigration detainees a daily maintenance rate while in immigration detention, Labor has extinguished such detention debts and will oppose any attempts to reinstate this practice. Labor supports existing specialised and tailored government services for those most in need to connect new arrivals to Australian society and to ensure that there is a seamless transition to mainstream services provided for by other levels of government. Labor will review the financial and other assistance to people coming to Australia under the Special Humanitarian Program to better address instances of financial hardship.
We will give priority in processing to offshore special humanitarian visa applicants, over illegal boat arrivals. We will ensure, offshore special humanitarian visa applicants receive priority in obtaining permanent residency in Australia over illegal boat arrivals.	Settlement support services include: ●orientation courses for humanitarian entrants prior to arrival in Australia ●initial intensive settlement assistance for humanitarian entrants for up to 12 months after arrival ●specialised case management services in circumstances where there are significant barriers to successful settlement ●orientation and referral services to build self-reliance in individuals and families and foster community participation and development ●access to the Translating and Interpreting Service.
	English language tuition is an essential settlement service and critical to the achievement of full social and economic participation. Labor will continue to provide: ●tailored language programs within a settlement context combined with appropriate support through childcare and case management ●opportunities for eligible migrants to continue to learn English while developing knowledge, skills and experience in the Australian workplace ●language training framed to introduce new entrants to Australian workplace culture and practices delivered through a range of formal and informal settings
	Labor recognises the importance of access to culturally appropriate employment services in achieving full participation.
Re-constitute the Productivity Commission as the Productivity and Sustainability Commission and task it with an annual review of Australia’s infrastructure needs for short, medium and long term projected population numbers. We will restore the single case officer appeal process.	Labor policy will improve the availability and integration of Commonwealth-funded migrant and settlement services. Labor will ensure settlement service policies are: ●informed by advice from the Refugee Resettlement Advisory Council, the Settlement Council of Australia and other key stakeholders and the community ●coordinated in partnership with state and territory governments, local councils, community organisations and service delivery providers
	Information taken from other sources
We will boost rigorous offshore processing for illegal arrivals so that bad behaviour has consequences.	About Border Security As part of the visa application process, all applicants are checked against the Central Movement Alert List (CMAL), a watch list contributed to by security and law enforcement agencies as well as other Commonwealth agencies. CMAL continues to check clients throughout all visa and travel stages.
	In November 2011, the department deployed a sophisticated statistical Risk Scoring System (RSS). The RSS deploys statistical risk models built on departmental data holdings and can identify high risk visa applications as they are being processed through the Generic Visa Portal (GVP).
	Since March 2011, DIAC has also been testing risk scoring for inbound travellers. Data is collected at check-in at the overseas airport.  Statistical risk models then evaluate every traveller for risk.
	Multi-layered system These are: the universal visa system (with alert checking) the airline liaison officers (ALOs) network the Advance Passenger Processing system (APP), which operates at check-in overseas the processing at Australian airports and seaports on arrival. Leading-edge technology is used to deliver these secure immigration processing systems. Anyone wanting to travel to, enter or remain in Australia will undergo checks at each of these layers, many of which are unobtrusive.
We will reserve 11,000 of the 13,750 refugee places each year for offshore applicants.	Immigration detention values The government's approach to immigration detention is based on a set of values that take a risk-based approach to immigration detention and seek a prompt resolution of cases. The values commit the department to detention as a last resort, to detention for the shortest practicable period and to the rejection of indefinite or otherwise arbitrary detention. The government's seven key immigration detention values are: Mandatory detention is an essential component of strong border control. To support the integrity of Australia's immigration program, three groups will be subject to mandatory detention: all unauthorised arrivals, for management of health, identity and security risks to the community unlawful non-citizens who present unacceptable risks to the community and unlawful non-citizens who have repeatedly refused to comply with their visa conditions. Children, including juvenile foreign fishers and, where possible, their families, will not be detained in an immigration detention centre. Detention that is indefinite or otherwise arbitrary is not acceptable and the length and conditions of detention, including the appropriateness of both the accommodation and the services provided, would be subject to regular review. Detention in immigration detention centres is only to be used as a last resort and for the shortest practicable time. People in detention will be treated fairly and reasonably within the law. Conditions of detention will ensure the inherent dignity of the human person. No children in immigration detention centres It is government policy that children will not be held in immigration detention centres. While there will be occasions when children will be accommodated in low-security facilities within the immigration detention network, such as immigration residential housing, immigration transit accommodation and community detention, the priority will always be that children and their families will be promptly accommodated in community detention. This allows children and their families to move about in the community and receive support from non-government organisations and state welfare agencies, as necessary.
	The table below is the total number of people held in immigration detention. Year No. of people 1997–98 2716 1998–99 3574 1999–00 8205 2000–01 7881 2001–02 7808 2002–03 6602 2003–04 6196 2004–05 7410 2005–06 6510 2006–07 4718 2007–08 4514 Source: Departmental systems

My View on Immigration

This week’s topic of immigration is something close to me as first I migrated from the US to Australia in order to marry my husband. However, I knew English, had an American Education and a few American degrees behind me, and never had any kind of run in with any kind of law enforcement.

Then add to that, my family’s history with migrating from Poland, Belgium, Denmark and Germany and most of those were because of fear of being murdered. I do know all about people needing to move from country to country in order to be able to be alive. 

However, the difference is that in all of these instances that I’ve mentioned above, we all came into each country, took to see what was offered, decided to work hard and stand by the rules of the new country including learning new languages in most cases. We didn’t cause trouble and worked hard to make a life for our families. 

What I’m seeing in more and more of the people who migrate, is they get here and want their “new” country to conform to THEM. They want the country who accepted them into their society to change. Why? They came to this new place because they liked how things operate and to be safe, so why would you want to change them? 

Further, you can tell by the way children, young adults and, in some cases, adults all act in common places that they think they own the place. They don’t understand that you must respect others and they will respect you. This is an English speaking country, why don’t the new migrates do whatever they can to learn the language? 

As for the politics of each party, they are as bad as the other. I do have to give credit to Labor because they offer free English lessons for easy integration into society; however, they must get a message to any migrate that not everything here in Australia is free. I teach at a few Learn Locals in IT, but I know from speaking to others, that these people come into Australia and think by them walking into any educational establishment they get it for free and that is for BOTH parties. 

As you can tell by the table at the end of each parties view, that the years of people held in detention are as bad as the other – both parties had high numbers in each. The mention of stopping the boats and turning them back (as Tony has been saying), he doesn’t acknowledge what happened when his predecessor, John Howard, had tried to do this – people died. Labor’s policy is just as bad – keep them some place, or fly them home. At least they will either stay in a prison like place or be taken back home and they won’t drown. 

I do understand that, in some cases, you will need people who will be killed and people are forcing them out of their homes and taking their food – then let these people in. My ancestors had this happen to them, and I can see this point, but all these other people that have extra money and pay to get in here the wrong way? Nope, they belong away from here and hurt them in the pocketbook. 

 As for the truth?

I think they are both full of crap. Each sounds like a great plan, but they will both fail. People will come and the only way to stop them is by getting strict with the countries they come from. My husband said they should attack the aid the country these people come from and I agree. Hurt them in the pocket and they will do something to stop it. 

Labor’s policy sounds more in depth, and Liberals are just too general. They need a bit more consistency… Just look at all the gaps in the policies by looking at the grid above. 

Debates

I have been watching the Federal Election Debates to see what’s been said. I have to say, the first debate Abbott won because he was very convincing, and the second Rudd won because he made some really good points. The last, and third, one was a tie. What was so interesting that someone asked about Australian land and how it should be owned by Australian’s and not people from other countries – BOTH parties have an answer like they didn’t understand what she was saying. Not good. Further, in other issues, both parties were not convincing at all. Below is from YouTube and the third debate. 

Practice Makes Perfect!
Click on this section and you can practice on how to vote in an Australian Election. 

Media Blackout and Commercials
All I can say is thankfully we only have a few more days left before a media blackout and then the election! The commercials are just way over done. The other night I was watching TV (a bit of a novelty for me!) and in 2 commercial breaks there was only 2 non-political commercials in them. Shocked! I know I've heard of many people saying they are over this election already!

 Next Week’s Blog

I’ll cover who won the election.