Fed: Labor's boat plan will clog up the system: Morrison

AAP General News (Australia)
04-09-2010
Fed: Labor's boat plan will clog up the system: Morrison

SYDNEY, April 9 AAP - The federal government's decision to suspend new immigration
claims from Sri Lankan and Afghan asylum seekers will create a huge backlog of claims,
the opposition says.

The government action came after border protection officials intercepted a boat carrying
70 asylum seekers, near Christmas Island on Thursday night.

It was the 38th boat to arrive in Australian waters this year.

Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison said on Friday the suspension would
not stop more boats arriving.

"Effectively what they've done is they've taken the wet lettuce to people smugglers,"

he told reporters in Sydney.

He said the government's plan would create a backlog of asylum seekers.

"They are going to clog up the system even more as boat after boat after boat arrives.

"Clearly they will just spill onto the mainland as they already have now.

"The government's response today is a response for the election - it's not a response
to stop the boats.

"This is a government who is being dragged kicking and screaming to say something today,
but all they have done is try to put this issue into suspended animation.

"What they haven't done is put forward a plan to stop the boats."

Mr Morrison said if the Coalition won power at the next federal election the government's
suspension plan would be reviewed.

The Coalition would reintroduce temporary protection visas, make sure there was a universal
process of offshore processing in place and implement a policy where the boats are turned
back boats where possible, he said.

Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor confirmed on Friday that federal police officers
had been deployed to Christmas Island, but refused to say how many or whether the government
expected the suspension to cause unrest there.

Mr Morrison said the deployment of Australian Federal Police (AFP) on Christmas Island
was stretching the organisation's resources.

"Already we have seen the additional cost and stretching of resources with the federal
police to deal with a crisis of the government's own making on Christmas Island.

"I don't know what it's costing the AFP ... the government should answer that question.

"The government should also answer how much it's costing in charters and flights from
Christmas Island to the mainland.

"We do know from the Senate estimates that the cost of each additional arrival is $81,900
in immigration costs alone."

AAP lm/klm/it

KEYWORD: BOAT MORRISON

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