August 21, 2024
The Coalition says 1300 Palestinians who have fled to Australia from the war in Gaza should return home when the conflict is over and not be granted permanent residency, deepening a partisan divide over the country's humanitarian response to people fleeing the Middle East.
Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson said yesterday that a special Palestinian visa pathway being considered by the government should not involve permanent settlement for Palestinians who had arrived on visitor visas since October 7.
''We don't think permanent visas is the right approach. We think temporary protection visas under the former government was the right approach. That allows people to be safe and stay here while they can, but to return home when it's safe to do so,'' he said.
In the joint Coalition party room yesterday, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton told MPs he had taken a principled position. ''If the prime minister is selling out our national security for seats in western Sydney, that would be unforgivable,'' he said.
The Coalition has mounted a political attack on Labor over what it says have been insufficient security processes for 2922 Palestinians who have been granted visas to Australia, although only 1300 have been able to leave Gaza.
Most Palestinians were issued temporary visitor visas, which are typically used for holidaymakers and do not offer work or social security rights.
Others escaping recent conflicts have been offered pathways to remain in Australia. Ukrainians were offered special three-year humanitarian visas, with the option of applying for permanent residency, while people fleeing Afghanistan and Syria were offered permanent resettlement pathways.
The Coalition's former temporary protection visas, which Paterson said should be used in this situation, did not allow people to apply for permanent visas, and they were abolished by the Albanese government.
Advocates for new arrivals from Gaza say they fear the divisive political debate could derail Labor's new visa pathway, which they have lobbied for because those fleeing Gaza are struggling to put food on the table without work rights or health benefits.
Asked what should happen to Palestinians already in Australia, Paterson said they should be assessed for short-term temporary protection visas.
''That would allow them to stay for so long as it is unsafe for them to return,'' he said. ''If, on the other hand, there's evidence that some among this cohort are supporters of Hamas or other terrorist organisations, then the visas should be cancelled on character grounds, and they should be removed from Australia.'' But Paterson said there should be no path to permanency. ''I think the great virtue of temporary protection visas is it offers people a safe haven when it is unsafe to return to their home,'' he said. ''But when the circumstances change, they are able to return.'' Labor rebuffed the Coalition's attacks as the visa issue dominated question time for a fourth straight day yesterday, insisting the government had confidence in security agencies and painting the Coalition as hypocritical.
''What our agencies do is to constantly examine issues. That doesn't stop when someone is granted a visa,'' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the opposition had been ''voiceless and clueless on the most important issue people can face right now''.
