Australia plans lifetime ban on illegal asylum seekers who come in via boat smugglers

"The door to Australia is closed to those who come here by boat with a people smuggler," the Australian PM said.
Australia plans lifetime ban on illegal asylum seekers who come in via boat smugglers
Australia plans lifetime ban on illegal asylum seekers who come in via boat smugglers
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Asylum seekers who use people smugglers to illegally come to Australia by boat will be given a lifetime ban from entering the country, under a government plan set to be put to Parliament next week.

Even if they are found to be legitimate refugees, those who employ the use of illegal people smugglers to make their way to Australia will never be allowed into the country, even as a tourist, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the government, the lifetime ban will extend to those who have been sent to Australian detention centers on Nauru or Manus Island since July 19, 2013.

However, the laws will not affect children.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Sunday said that the law was a follow-up to former Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's pledge in July 2013 that any asylum seeker who comes to Australia by boat without a visa would "never be settled in Australia".

"They must know that the door to Australia is closed to those who seek to come here by boat with a people smuggler," he said.

The Guardian also reported Turnbull as saying that the law change was necessary to support key government border protection policies, including temporary protection visas, regional processing and boat turnbacks.

The report also quotes him as saying, “We accept thousands of refugees and we do so willingly. But we will not tolerate any repeat of the people smuggling ventures which resulted in over 1,200 deaths at sea under the Labor party, and 50,000 unauthorised arrivals.”

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the laws would send a "tough message" not only to people smugglers, but to those thinking of coming to Australia illegally.
 

Inputs IANS

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