Government re-introduces visa freeze for refugee boat arrivals

The Australian Greens say the federal government's decision to re-introduce a controversial freeze on granting protection visas to refugees who arrive by boat amounts to chaotic policy making.

(File: AAP)

The government first introduced the freeze late last year, but revoked it after refugee lawyers threatened a legal challenge.

On Tuesday, the freeze was re-introduced without explanation.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young has told Sky News the re-introduction of the visa freeze is an attempt to get around proper legal processes.

"It's almost like hokey pokey with regulations, they put them in, they take them out, they put them in again, they take them out.

"It's all about avoiding the scrutiny of the parliament, it's all about avoiding and circumventing the court and the legal process and the upshot of all of this, is the government were never happy when the Senate moved last year to disallow temporary protection visas.

"They're so desperate to be as harsh as possible to the refugees who live in the Australian community now, this isn't about deterrence, of course, because these people are already here."