Alison Rehn
Political Reporter
Daily Telegraph
22 9 09 Pg. 15
Comrade Rudd (l) & Madame Rein (r)
ASYLUM seekers could be housed in former casino staff accommodation as the Federal Government faces a potential overcrowding crisis at its Christmas Island detention centre.
The recent surge in asylum seekers is testing the limits of the island's facilities — as of last night there were 644 people in detention, with a further 54 due to arrive tomorrow.
Australians down on their luck or victims of Kevin 07’s socialist policies unfortunately are not in Kevin 07 or his government’s address or phone book but there is always Mohammad the slum lord
Kevin 07’s Australia 2009: When Mohammad becomes the Land Lord.
Christmas Island can handle up to 1200 detainees but if the number of asylum seekers trying to get to Australia continues to escalate — 315 illegal arrivals have been intercepted in just two weeks — then the island will be soon be full.
While the Federal Government is trying to process refugee claims as quickly as possible — 108 were resettled last week — it has been revealed contingency measures are in place should current accommodation facilities fill up.
A spokesman for Immigration Minister Chris Evans said the Gov-
ernment was "looking at other options" on the island.
One of those options, the spokesman said, was considering housing asylum seekers in old accommodation that had been used by staff who once worked at the now defunct casino, once a magnet for Indonesian high-rollers.
Another option for asylum seekers would be to initially detain them on Christmas Island for their security,identity and health checks, before transferring them to a detention centre in Darwin while they wait for their refugee claim to be processed.
Federal Opposition spokeswoman for justice and customs Sussan Ley yesterday criticised the Government's immigration policies and said they encouraged people to “risk their lives” on dangerous sea voyages,while making people smugglers rich from their trade in human misery”
Mr Rudd must launch an urgent inquiry into the relationship between their softening of border protection and the surge in people smuggling in Australia, Ms Ley said.
Acting Opposition Leader Julie Bishop said the Christmas Island
facilities were at "breaking point" and referred to reports of "thousands of people awaiting a people-smuggler
trip to Australia". The Government must take a stand now, she said.
The latest boatload of 54 asylum seekers was rescued by border protection authorities around 550 nautical miles north of the Cocos- Keeling Islands on Sunday.
Home Affairs Minister Brendan O’Connor said some of the people were dehydrated and seasick and said the rescue highlighted the risks and dangers associated with such perilous ventures.
2001 - 2002: 23 Boats 3649 illegal's
2002 - 2003: NO Boats
2003 - 2004: Three Boats 82 illegal's
2004 - 2005: NO Boats
2005 - 2006: Four Boats 56 illegal's
2007 - 2008:Three Boats 25 illegal's
Since the scrapping of the previous Howard, Liberal Governments, illegal entrants and Australian Border Protection policy and the Imposition of Kevin 07's Australian Party "refugee policy"
August 2008 to September 22 09 : 34 Boats 1621 illegal's
Howard 'had it right on asylum seekers'
SBS
16 September 2009
A boat ferrying suspected asylum-seekers has been intercepted off Australia's northwest coast, the fourth such arrival in a little over a week. (SBS)
West Australian Premier Colin Barnett says former prime minister John Howard "had it right" with his policies on asylum seekers.
Mr Barnett said Australia had to give a very clear message that you cannot get into the country by illegally means.
After a boat ferrying suspected asylum seekers was intercepted off Australia's northwest coast on Tuesday - the fourth such arrival in a week - Mr Barnett said people smugglers were aware of Australia's policy changes on asylum seekers.
The Labor government last year relaxed the Howard government's laws covering mandatory detention of asylum seekers - including children - under the so-called Pacific solution.
The policy involved the excision of islands from Australia's migration zone and asylum seekers being removed to detention camps on the islands of Manus and Nauru in order to determine their refugee status.
The Rudd government has retained the policy of mandatory detention, but restricts it to unlawful non-citizens who pose a threat to the community, those who refuse to comply with visa conditions and those who have to be detained for health, identity and security checks.
Mr Barnett said Australia would have "to accept the reality" of increasing numbers of desperate people trying to enter the country, but said the federal government had to send a message "that Australia is closed".
"I think those seeking asylum and those who run these trafficking in people are aware there have been policy changes at a federal level and that if you get onto mainland Australia you basically get into the Australian legal system," Mr Barnett told Fairfax Radio Network.
"That's probably a change that has occurred since the change of (federal) government.
"The more fundamental reason, however, is that there are many displaced persons, more people facing hardship and persecution in the world, and (they are) close to us.
"You can understand why they are trying to get to Australia and they will take desperate measures to get here." Mr Barnett said Australia was not alone in encountering influxes of asylum seekers, "but we do need strong border security".
"I think John Howard had it right," he said.
"I think we do have to give a very clear message that you cannot get into Australia by illegal entry. It's not going to work. It's going to be closed off before you get here."
Mr Barnett also said he could not understand why Australian authorities were taking so long to release any findings on the explosion that killed three Afghan refugees on a boat in April.
The premier said at the time it was understood that the refugees on the boat spread petrol which ignited, causing the explosion.
The then minister for home affairs,
said at the time the government did not want to speculate on the cause of explosion.
The fact that Australia’s security and sovereignty are under threat because of the Kevin 07 Governments allegiance to the ideology of Multiculturalism,”Global Village” and the UN’s utopia, of a world without borders,the “colonization by stealth” that was started in the 70’s by Labor’s great Socialist “living treasure” E.G Whitlam and continued on by the Fraser Liberal government through to the present day with a relatively brief period of cessation during the Howard government, shows most certainly that Kevin 07’s LACK of border protection policy is indeed working.
Come on Down Mohammed, Kevin 07 and his band of merry “working families” and Union Comrades are waiting for you with how and WHO to vote FOR cards and the keys to a shiny new apartment , Medicare, card,subsidised pharmaceutical as in $4.50 a script and naturally you will go straight on to the dole or the invalid pension which ever pays the most.
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