Budget 2009–10 – New Directions in Detention
Tuesday, 12 May 2009
The Australian Government has committed $77.4 million over four years to implement key immigration compliance and detention policy improvements in community care, status resolution and assisted voluntary returns, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, said today.
Following last July’s landmark speech announcing the Government’s policy, New Directions in Detention, and ongoing administrative changes to reflect the Government’s new detention values, the new funding addresses the need for the prompt resolution of people’s immigration status while they remain in the community.
‘The Government’s commitment in resolving the status of those in the community means there will be an increased capacity to assist people to reach a timely immigration outcome without the need for detention,’ Senator Evans said.
‘These measures support the principles that indefinite detention is not acceptable and that those people who have no right to remain in Australia either leave voluntarily or are removed.
‘The measures provide integrated initiatives to actively, efficiently and effectively manage those in the community to an immigration outcome through early intervention and provision of needs-based support or assistance.’
The measures will allow the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) to tailor flexible and appropriate solutions to clients’ particular circumstances by:
- actively managing clients who require some intervention to resolve their case through the formal introduction of a national Community Status Resolution Service
- providing an assisted voluntary return service to facilitate a client’s departure from the community without the need to detain first, and
- providing a package of services including health and welfare support, together with immigration advice and assistance to vulnerable clients with exceptional circumstances, in order to facilitate resolution of their status.
The Government will also introduce more flexible work rights arrangements for asylum seekers.
Senator Evans said the cost of providing these services would be offset through DIAC savings on existing immigration detention outlays.
‘Collectively, these measures advance the Government’s commitment in resolving people’s immigration status expeditiously. Improving support for vulnerable people in the community improves their prospect of voluntary departure from Australia, where this is the appropriate outcome,’ Senator Evans said.
‘They also reflect the Government’s determination to implement a humane and risk-based approach to detention. For example, appropriate health and welfare support means families, who otherwise may be detained, can instead be managed humanely in the community.’
The early intervention strategy which underpins this measure was formally tested through the Community Care Pilot. The measure builds on, and continues, the work of the Community Care Pilot, which is due to expire on June 30.
‘Early intervention, together with targeted assistance to particularly vulnerable clients, is critical in reaching accelerated, appropriate immigration outcomes for our clients,’ Senator Evans said.
URL: http://www.minister.immi.gov.au
/media/media-releases/2009/ce01-budget-09.htm
Last update: 12 May 2009 at 19:46 AEST