Australian Parliament is set to fiercely debate asylum-seeker policy this week following more high-profile rescues at sea and reports the navy’s boats are not handling the extra workload.
The rescue of a record 211 asylum seekers in a single boat in rough seas on Wednesday Aug 8 will add fuel to the debate about how to handle an unprecedented surge in arrivals by sea. The number has surpassed 7000 people this year and eroded Australia’s other humanitarian programs.
As Parliament returns this week from winter break it may release the results of an independent experts panel as early as Monday, which could help competing political groups agree on a solution.
The review by former defence force chief Angus Houston received more than 550 submissions and has already been handed to parliament.
But few are expecting a quick resolution to the issue as the minority government fails to gain the agreement necessary to push through reforms.
The Julia Gillard-led Labor government wants to restore powers to swap incoming asylum seekers for a far greater number of processed refugees from Malaysia.
But the Greens Party, which forms a tenuous alliance with Labor, opposes these changes as it is against offshore processing in any form.
Tony Abbott’s opposition Coalition party wants the navy to turn boats back when safe to do so, and the re-opening of refugee facilities in the pacific island nation of Nauru which, unlike Malaysia, is a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention.
Australian Maritime Safety Authority officials confirmed to The Australian newspaper they were negotiating to train and support Indonesian authorities in Inmarsat C satellite technology, allowing them to play a greater role in tracking and rescuing distressed asylum seeker vessels.
Immigration minister Chris Bowen confirmed to media last week the increasing numbers of asylum seeker arrivals had contributed to greater wear and tear on navy boats which had seen one taken out of service and problems develop in two others.
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