Immigration Minister Andrew Giles was promising action before the election, as the opposition spokesman, meeting with protesters and advocates for Afghan families outside Parliament House.
"The issues about family separation, the efforts of so many of you here to bring and to be connected again to your family members, has been a disgrace. We've seen the pain it causes and no doubt that pain has been exacerbated by what's happened since the fall of Kabul."
He now has thousands of applications on his desk, and sat down with SBS News to defend the slow pace of visa approvals.
He spoke to Chief Political Correspondent, Anna Henderson.
"GILES: We're applying an enormous number of resources to this problem, because it is an incredible priority for the government. I think everyone in this government indeed the former government across the Australian community recognises the moral obligation we owe to the people of Afghanistan."
