Boats double since Tony Abbott said 'no'
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Joint media release with Chris Bowen MP – Minister for Immigration and Citizenship and Jason Clare MP – Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Justice.
The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen MP, and Minister for Home Affairs, Jason Clare MP have called on Tony Abbott to put aside his negativity and vote for offshore processing as more asylum seekers risk dangerous boat journeys to Australia.
Two more boats carrying more than 90 asylum seekers each were intercepted overnight—the eighth and ninth boat arrivals since Tony Abbott ended talks with the government and rejected offshore processing.
In the five months before Tony Abbott said 'no' to our legislation in September 23 boats and 1398 asylum seekers arrived. In the five months since Tony Abbott said 'no' in September 45 boats and 3465 people arrived.
Mr Bowen said the number of boats had almost doubled and the number of asylum seekers more than doubled since Mr Abbott chose to oppose the government 's legislation to implement the Malaysia Arrangement last September.
'We know that the boats slowed following the announcement of the Malaysia Arrangement, but the numbers continue to rise following Tony Abbott's rejection of an offshore processing regime—including his own policy of a processing centre on Nauru,' Mr Bowen said.
'Enough is enough. Australians expect Mr Abbott to work with the government to stop people risking their lives at sea.'
'Tony Abbott says he wants to stop the boats, but he is not willing to do what it takes to make this happen—it's all talk and no action.'
The government has consistently warned that without a real deterrent for these dangerous journeys to Australia, the boats would keep coming.
Mr Clare said the boats would keep coming while Tony Abbott said 'no'.
'If Mr Abbott is serious about stopping the boats he must stop saying 'no' and pass our legislation to allow asylum seekers to be processed off-shore in Malaysia and Nauru,' Mr Clare said.
URL: http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/media/cb/2012/cb182919.htm
Last update: Wednesday, 22 February 2012 at 15:10 AEST