The Federal Government’s plan to cut the Status Resolution Support Services (SRSS) payment for people on bridging visas is expected to take effect from 1 April 2018, impacting asylum seekers currently living in communities. Advocacy organisations came together this week to raise concerns over the changes to eligibility, warning that it could lead to homelessness and destitution. This income support provides for living allowance, assistance in finding housing, casework support and counselling.
Following a recent visit to the Nauru immigration detention centre, the Asia Pacific director for UNHCR strongly urged the Federal Government reconsider its offshore processing policy, highlighting concern about detainees' mental health and risk of self-harm as well as family separations.
Opposition leader Bill Shorten said the Labor Party has concern for the treatment of asylum seekers in offshore detention and for people being held in indefinite detention, but confirmed he has ‘no interest’ in changing Labor’s position on asylum boat turnbacks.
A Senate Inquiry report was released this week, which considers legislation that would implement a redress scheme to compensate survivors of child sexual abuse. Immigration authorities submitted that allowing people on temporary visas to apply for compensation under the scheme would increase the government’s financial exposure. The current design of the scheme has raised concern that people in offshore detention or on temporary visas may be excluded from compensation.
Germany’s interior minister is progressing with plans to hold asylum seekers in centres for up to 18 months while their applications are being processed. The first centre is expected to be established in 2018 in Bavaria.