Sri Lankans sent home an 'important step'

22 Sep 2012, 5:31 pm   -   Source: AAP
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Immigration Minister Chris Bowen says the first return of asylum seekers back to their home country after refusing to be transferred to Nauru is an important step in deterring people smuggling.

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Immigration Minister Chris Bowen says the first return of asylum seekers back to their home country after refusing to be transferred to Nauru is an important step in deterring people smuggling.

A group of 18 Sri Lankan men left Christmas Island for Colombo on Saturday after asking to be sent home rather than going to the Pacific island for the processing of their asylum seeker claims.

"It is a sign of people weighing up their options and they have been misled by people smugglers," Mr Bowen told reporters in Sydney.

"The first transfer of 18 people is a very significant step."

Announcing the return of the men, Mr Bowen also said people arriving by boat in future would be barred from sponsoring family under changes to be made to the special humanitarian program.

Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison said he'd revealed on Tuesday that the Sri Lankan group had decided to return home.

He said Mr Bowen was "playing catch-up, confirming the information revealed by the coalition earlier in the week".

The plane carrying the men left Christmas Island at 0815 (1115 AEST) on Saturday bound for the Sri Lankan capital.

Mr Bowen said 16 of the 18 men arrived in Australia after August 13, when the government announced its new border protection policies.

"They have asked not be transferred to Nauru, but instead to be returned to their homeland of Sri Lanka," Mr Bowen said.

The first group to be sent for offshore processing were transferred from Christmas Island to Nauru on September 14.

The government has reopened the processing centre at Nauru and is soon to reopen Papua New Guinea's Manus Island to stem boat arrivals.

Mr Bowen said the "no special concessions" provisions under the humanitarian program, as recommended by the Houston independent panel, would ensure family reunions occurred only through the normal channels.

The government last month received the Houston report, which recommended 22 measures on asylum-seeker policy.

"Up until now it had been possible for people who arrive in Australia by boat to sponsor family members and not to show that the other requirements under the special humanitarian program were met," Mr Bowen said.

While shutting down the provision, Mr Bowen said an extra 4000 people would be accepted under the family reunion program.

Australian Greens immigration spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said keeping families separate was not the solution to the asylum seeker problem.

"Stopping refugees from being reunited with their families in Australia is the latest raft of concerning and inhumane measures implemented by the Gillard government," Senator Hanson-Young said in a statement.

Mr Bowen said people smugglers, in offering passage to Australia, would keep misleading clients that a visa would be available on their arrival.

"What this transfer does, and together with the transfer to Nauru over the last week, is show that if you come to Australia by boat, you risk your life and you throw your money away," he said.

Australian authorities earlier on Saturday reported a boat carrying 17 suspected asylum seekers was intercepted west of Christmas Island the previous day.

It was the 144th boat intercepted in Australian waters this year.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, speaking to reporters in Brisbane, said the arrival again showed the government had lost control of Australia's borders.

Sri Lanka , Asylum Seekers , Nauru Detention Centre

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Your Comments

Where are we now?

Margaret Whittle - from Castlemaine, 8 months ago

We have to wonder what the rest of the world thinks of the average Australian now. They could be forgiven if their thoughts are somewhat derogatory, especially if they are nationals in Pakistan and Turkey, which host vast populations of refugees.

Mr

Sri Lankan - from Perth, 8 months ago

So they all came for economic reasons. Time to re introduce temporary protection visa.

Greens Hypocrisy

Aaron - from Brisbane, 8 months ago

I think the Greens have some good policies but their stance on refugees that arrive by boat is not one of them. Australia needs to discourage refugees to chose to come via boat. Isn't it obvious that "showing more compassion" to boat arrivals as called for from Sarah Hanson-Young (accepting more boat refugees, continuing to give them special family reunion entitlements) will mean the boats continue to come, and continue to crash/sink and drown? Are you sure that is what you want Sarah?

About bloody tine

michael - from rosebud, 8 months ago

Thank goodness for a little reality based feedback. More of it please.

18 Sri Lankan

R Davis - from Melb., 8 months ago

Are we surprised that these 18 Sri Lankan men decided to go home ? It gives these men a chance to try for another country rather than be locked up - stuck in no where land. Life goes on. Australia is not the be all & end all as we believe. 17 % of MIGRANTS who come to Australia go back home within 12 months never to return. Within 10 years 30% of Migrants go HOME never to return. they come here to work & make monies to set themselves up AT HOME. The government does not tell us this -hey ?

Asylum seeking

oncewas - from bribie island, 8 months ago

How real was the need for asylum for these people when they elect to return to the country they had to flee from? Will they now be put in prison or worse or were they here under false pretences?

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