More than 95,000 asylum seekers have arrived in Australia by plane over the past five years triggering fears over exploitation and slavery.
New figures have revealed about 80 people per day since the start of July have claimed protection after landing at an Australian airport.
But the Morrison government has defended its border protection policies, saying the number of arrivals actually dropped last year, compared to the previous one.
The figures were disclosed in answers to Questions on Notice from Labor’s spokesperson for Home Affairs and Immigration Kristina Keneally.
Labor's Home Affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally. Source: AAP
“There’s nothing wrong with claiming asylum. It’s an important right,” Senator Keneally said.
“However, in 90 per cent of these particular cases, the individuals are not legitimate refugees and are often being trafficked to Australia for the explicit purpose of being exploited.”
Labor is warning Australia is on track to post a new annual record for asylum seeker arrivals by air.
It said 4,037 aeroplane arrivals have made a claim for protection between 1 July 2019 and 19 August 2019.
But Immigration Minister David Coleman said that based on the same period last year, the figures were actually down for the number of arrivals seeking asylum.
"We won’t be taking any advice from Labor, whose mismanagement of our border was an absolute disgrace," he said.
“Less than 0.25 per cent of people who arrive lawfully in Australia apply for protection, and of them, the vast majority are refused."
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and David Coleman, Minister for Immigration. Source: AAP
The Morrison government said it is focusing resources both on and offshore to prevent unmeritorious claims, including through enhancements to intelligence systems, operational activity and messaging offshore.
In recent years, the number of asylum claims from air arrivals dropped to 24,520 people in 2018-19, down from 27,884 people in the previous year. However, this figure was up from 18,267 people in 2016-17.
Senator Keneally has called the figures a crisis, citing concerns for those arriving by plane being exposed to “exploitation, slavery and even sexual servitude across the country.”
“This is a crisis that Peter Dutton is responsible for and it’s past time for the government to take action," she said.
“The truth is we have no idea how many aeroplane people may have been critically injured or even died … because of exploitation and slavery that is taking place under his nose.”
In February this year, the Joint Standing Committee on Migration handed down a report on the efficacy of current regulation of Australian migration and education agents.
Its chair Liberal MP Jason Wood issued a warning over criminal syndicates exploiting vulnerable arrivals.
“Organised crime and illegitimate labour-hire companies are using this loophole to bring out illegal workers who are often vulnerable and open to exploitation," he said.
“This enables these criminal elements to exploit foreign workers in Australia until their claims are finalised.”
