Australian immigration authorities should inform Chinese nationals in Darwin harbour of their right to seek asylum here, the Australian Greens said today.
“Officials should use the time remaining on the Chinese’s temporary visas to give them every opportunity to seek protection in Australia,” Greens’ immigration spokesperson, Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, said.
“Australia also has a role to play in helping the Afghan and Iranian asylum seekers who were rescued off Indonesia at the weekend. At least one asylum seeker has said he was a former interpreter for Coalition forces in Afghanistan and risks being targeted by the Taliban.
“Australia could do more to help the UNHCR, especially as there are only two UNHCR officials in Indonesia who assess asylum seekers’ claims.
“Australia should raise the number of people it directly settles from Indonesia and Malaysia.
“The Greens are concerned for the welfare and safety of these asylum seekers, especially given the long waiting times and threats to their lives they face in Indonesia and Malaysia.
“Australia can and should lift its overall humanitarian intake to 20,000-25,000 people and take more people directly from Indonesia and Malaysia to stop the need for them to risk boarding unseaworthy boats.”
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