Why Asylum Seekers In Australia Are Controversial?
The policy of Australia for asylum seekers becomes intense and tough. There are valid and fair reasons why it turns to that.
How many asylum seekers does Australia get?
The humanitarian intake for Australia has remained comparatively steady for more than 20 years. They typically have around 12,000 to 13,000 people accepted each year. For years 2015 to 2016, they received 13,750 people through Australia’s humanitarian program. They also engaged to a “one time acceptance”, getting additional refugees of 12,000 fleeing Iraq and Syria.
The asylum seekers tried many ways to reach Australia. Some attempted reaching Australia via boats from Indonesia. Most of the time they pay a very large amount of money to people using smuggling to earn income. This is a very dangerous journey, and a proof to that is hundreds of people have already died from doing as such.
The most number of people that reached Australia illegally by sea is 18,000. This huge number falls down after the Australian government introduced policies that are tougher to stop these boats from smuggling and bringing people in Australia.
Why Australia promoted tough and strict asylum policies?
There are two primary political parties in Australia, the Labour opposition and the top Liberal National coalition, and both of these parties give support to tough and strict asylum policies.
As per their claim, the journey these asylum seekers go through is highly dangerous and the trips are controlled by gangs (criminal gangs), and it is their duty to put a stop to it.
Australia’s coalition government made the asylum policy a lot tougher when they took power in the year 2013. They introduced “Operation Sovereign Borders”, and this put the military in full control of all asylum operations.
Within this policy, the military vessels guard the Australian waters. They interrupt migrant boats, and tow these boats back to their origin, Indonesia, or they may send the asylum seekers to Indonesia by lifeboats or inflatable dinghies.
As per the government, this policy brings back the overall integrity of Australia’s borders. And with the help of the “Operation Sovereign Borders”, the deaths while at sea was prevented.
On the other hand, there are some critics that state opposition to the asylum seekers is most of the time damaging to the reputation of Australia and racially motivated.
The offshore processing
When these asylum seekers arrive to Australia through boat, they do not stay in Australia. Instead they will be sent to processing centres offshore, while waiting for their claims to be processed. Even asylums are proof to refugees that they are still not allowed in Australia. They can be settled either in Papua New Guinea or Nauru.
There are legal ways to go to Australia, hence you have to consider them than illegal ways.
