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AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER today announced that no more boatpeople will be resettled in Australia as refugees, with all unauthorised arrivals to be sent to poverty-stricken Papua New Guinea.
“From now on, any asylum-seeker who arrives in Australia by boat will have no chance of being settled in Australia as a refugee,” said Rudd, unveiling his new hardline border protection policy in an election year flanked by PNG counterpart Peter O’Neill.
Asylum-seekers arriving at Australia’s far-flung Christmas Island will be sent to the Manus Island processing centre on Papua New Guinea and elsewhere in the Pacific nation for assessment, with no cap on the number to be transferred.
Even if found to be “genuine refugees” Rudd said asylum-seekers would have “no chance” of settlement in Australia under the harsh new policy.
Those whose applications were not successful would be sent back home or to third countries.
The Regional Settlement Arrangement, which was signed by the two leaders on Friday, will initially be in effect for 12 months and reviewed annually. It will come into effect immediately.
The aim is to pose a strong disincentive for people considering the dangerous boat journey from Indonesia, particularly so-called “economic migrants” who make the trip not to flee persecution but for a better life in Australia.
Foreign Minister Bob Carr has said that increasing numbers of asylum-seekers arriving by boat fall into this category, many from Sri Lanka and Iran.
Restrictions
Rudd’s new policy was announced as Indonesia agreed to tighten visa restrictions for visitors from Iran, who currently enjoy visa-free entry to the sprawling Southeast Asian nation and can then pay people-smugglers for passage to Australia.
It follows talks between Rudd and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Jakarta earlier this month, where they announced an agreement to promote greater regional cooperation on cross-border immigration.
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
“The minister plans to sign a letter that will prevent Iranian citizens from being granted visas on arrival. But he has not done so yet,” Ministry of Justice and Human Rights communications chief Goncang Raharjo told AFP in Jakarta.
The hardline stance, among the strongest an Australian prime minister has taken on the divisive issue, is also designed to starve the lucrative people-smuggling networks that charge boatpeople thousands of dollars to make the hazardous trip.
“The hopes they offer their customers for the future are nothing but false hopes,” said Rudd, who added that he had spoken to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon about the plan.
Australia has struggled to stem an influx of asylum-seekers arriving by boat, with record numbers turning up in 2012 and more than 13,000 so far in 2013.
Deaths
Hundreds have drowned making the journey — as recently as Tuesday a boat sank, killing four people — and Canberra’s plans to send asylum-seekers to remote Pacific islands for processing has so far failed to stop the flood.
“Australians have had enough of seeing people drowning in the waters to our north,” said Rudd, who is facing national elections later this year with asylum-seekers a major policy issue.
Our country has had enough of people-smugglers exploiting asylum-seekers and seeing them drown on the high seas.
Australia currently sends boatpeople to Manus Island for processing only, along with Nauru in the Pacific, where current arrangements will continue.
In exchange for Papua New Guinea’s help, Australia will fund further aid initiatives including redeveloping a major hospital in Lae and assisting with its long-term management.
Australia will also contribute funds to reform the impoverished Pacific nation’s university sector and support other health, education and law and order initiatives, although no dollar figure was put on the aid.
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I’ll believe it when I see it
It’s not going to happen. Europes grudge against ireland on corporation tax is not our manufacturing sector, it’s the tax haven IFSC. Why are so many European banks setup there… To avoid tax. Sadly it’s a sector the will be axed as countries try to fight their defecit. Just look at Banco Di Italia in IFSC.. Italy wants this bank to operate in italy not ireland. The storm is brewing. I can’t see many new jobs coming.
He is full of sh!t. He has had his day in the sun, the next twelve months will expose him for the puppet he is.
Here here!
Jesus Enda, I thought you would have learnt about the pitfalls of promises last week!
Great news! Enda Kenny is really delivering the goods.
Is former footballer and teacher enda kenny running the IFSC now?
Sure that’s great the newly graduated nurses/teachers will have no trouble getting a job now!!!!!
So there are thousands of IT jobs still not filled in Dublin due to skills shortage and because the whole of Ireland doesn’t really want to live in Dublin, yet they will probably create another 1000 of those 10,000 in IT.
Great if they can create 1000 more jobs there never mind 10.000.
Ah come on Emma! Like he delivered ‘the goods’ to Roscommon? You should know by now that a politician promising anything is a sure sign of desperation. And if the jobs are delivered, Enda will have had little to do with it.
I put as much trust in Enda’s word on this, as I did on his election Roscommon Hospital speech.
I cant see 10,000 jobs being created to man post boxes in the IFSC. Sure why wouldn’t foreign companies have an address here, where else will let them launder there money and escape taxes in their own country. Why do you think France and germany are after us to higher our corporation tax. It’s to stop companies from laundering money and cooking the books in Ireland.
Every multi-national company are here because of it. I hope people don’t really think it’s because of our highly skilled workforce and our financial regulation and our accountability. We are actually party to the rip off of many countries.
No job for you so.
Cruel but very true. iFSC is a post box avenue for tax evasion. No real manufacuring
To quote Clay Davis from the Wire “I’ll take any motherf**ker’s money if he givin’ it away!”
Yea man I agree take the money, I’m not on a moral high ground. We need to be realistic Enda Kenny is a liar, just like fiana fail they come from the same flawed system
Sorry for the spammy nature of this post, delete if inappropriate
Have look here at Enda’s speech and the full report. The Taoiseach is happy to brush aside any concerns about the business of the IFSC and would like Ireland remain “off shore tart” for big banking.
People complain that there are no jobs, when a chance for 10k of jobs is to be created, you still moan! Jeez, no pleasing some people!
blah blah blah blah blah jobs jobs jobs ……just like muppet bruttons ploy 8 jobs,EDNA YOU ARE A DISGRACE
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