A BETTER WAY. to welcome people seeking asylum

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Opal Casey
6 years ago
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1 A BETTER WAY to welcome people seeking asylum

2 We have a proud history of welcoming people to our country and helping those who are in need. - Sarah Hanson-Young

3 AUSTRALIA SAYS WELCOME People seeking asylum have been an asset to Australia for generations and they can help make our country stronger than it has ever been. We have a proud history of welcoming people to our country and helping those who are in need. The Greens bold and responsible vision will see us help 50,000 people who are in need of protection every single year, including 10,000 under a new skilled refugee programme. We are a generous and caring nation. We can welcome people seeking asylum who will help build our communities and contribute to our economy. SEEKING ASYLUM SAFELY WE NEED TO CREATE A SAFE WAY FOR PEOPLE TO SEEK ASYLUM IN AUSTRALIA, GIVING THEM A BETTER OPTION THAN A BOAT JOURNEY. Families don t want to have to use a people smuggler and if there is a safer alternative, they will take it. The other parties policies have failed. It s up to us to build a better way.

4 THE PLAN FOR CHANGE CHILDREN SET FREE Children don t belong in detention. The Greens will move them and their families into the community immediately, including those in offshore detention on Nauru, and establish a Royal Commission into their treatment. CLOSE THE CAMPS TO SAVE BILLIONS The Greens will save $2.9 billion by shutting the detention camps on Manus Island and Nauru and abolishing the practice of offshore detention. A REGIONAL APPROACH We will give $500 million to assessment and support organisations in our region to speed up the process and give people access to education and work rights while they wait. A CHANCE TO REBUILD A HOME The Greens want to abolish temporary protection visas and provide permanent protection to people seeking safety.

5 SAFETY FOR KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE The Greens don t want to see people getting on boats to try and come to Australia. If we assess people s claims efficiently and fairly, then fly them to Australia directly, we undercut the people smugglers business model because nobody will need to get on a leaky boat. LIMIT THE WAIT Every person should be treated with dignity and respect. The Greens will introduce a 30 day time limit for people held in on-shore immigration detention. This is ample time to conduct the necessary checks and to assess their claims for asylum. 50,000 PEOPLE THE GREENS WILL: Increase the number of people Australia helps from 13,750 to 50,000 per year Fairly and efficiently assess people s refugee claims where they are waiting Establish a Skilled Refugee visa program for 10,000 people

6 SAVING LIVES IN OUR REGION AND ENRICHING OUR NATION

7 LESSONS FROM THE PAST We ve done it before Australia has led an ambitious and bold regional solution like this in the past. After the Vietnam War, and under the leadership of former Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, we resettled tens of thousands of Vietnamese people who went on to strengthen the Australian community and economy. We can do it again. We can treat people the way we would want to be treated while saving lives in our region and enriching our nation. The billions of dollars that we will save from closing down the Manus Island and Nauru detention camps will be reinvested in helping more people than ever before. Australians have been let down by more than a decade of failed leadership on this issue. Now we have the courage and vision required, as well as the plan, to make this happen again. NOW WE HAVE THE COURAGE AND VISION TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN AGAIN

Cover Image Sawarni, sawarni by Omar Chatriwala is licensed

Hanson-Young, 147 Pirie St, Adelaide, 5000.

Find out more: greens.org.au/refugees Get in touch: www.

8 Cover Image Sawarni, sawarni by Omar Chatriwala is licensed under CC by 2.0. Authorised by S. Hanson-Young, 147 Pirie St, Adelaide, Printed by Printak, 107 Sturt Street, Adelaide, SA, Find out more: greens.org.au/refugees Get in touch: SIGN UP TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION:

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