The Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) has released a summary to help you understand where the parties contesting Saturday’s federal election stand on refugee issues.
The Coalition announced that it would no longer be funding legal appeals by refugees as part of its regional deterrence framework this week. In a last-minute announcement before the federal election tomorrow, Shadow Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said the move will save taxpayers $100 million dollars over four years.
Scott Morrison has urged for the police to be notified before asylum seekers are released from detention into the community. Liberal candidate for the seat of Lindsay, Fiona Scott, has linked asylum seekers to traffic jams and hospital queues.
The Greens have noted an increase in party support as a result of voters being alienated by the stances of the major parties on asylum issues.
After the attempted suicide of a Somali teenager on Christmas Island, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship has denied access to the Somali community endeavouring to provide the boy with support.
As a response to the long and violent conflict in Syria, Sweden has announced that it will grant asylum to all Syrian refugees who apply. Tobias Billstroem, Sweden's Migration Minister has called for other countries to acknowledge the plight of the Syrian people.