The Salvation Army response to asylum seekers coming to Australia

12 February 2002

The Salvation Army in Australia is greatly concerned with the increasing number of people who have a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country due to their race, religion, political opinion or social group. War and other conflict situations have seen multitudes of people fleeing their homes.

The Salvation Army believes that the increased demand for displaced people seeking to enter Australia is not likely to dissipate in the short term. Our ongoing responses through the Humanitarian Program need to take into account the trauma which people are seeking to escape. Many of those who have sought refuge in Australia as asylum seekers have experienced grief and trauma, which may leave permanent scars.

The Salvation Army holds great concern for the welfare of displaced people when they are refused protection in Australia and may be forced to return to the location of their former homeland. It is known through our contacts with human rights groups that some displaced people are immediately detained upon return whilst others are unable to be tracked and are not heard of again. As a just society we need to determine what is a humane and dignified response to people fleeing crisis.

It has been The Salvation Army's experience over many years that people in crisis are rarely able to conform to the criteria and demands of orderly bureaucracies. The best responses to people in crisis are those which are flexible and tailored to meet the real needs of such people.

The Salvation Army fully accepts that Australia is not able, and will never be able, to accept all displaced people seeking to enter its shores. As Australia is a leader in the Asia-Pacific region, The Salvation Army questions whether Australia's 12,000 places annually is sufficient.

There are no adequate simple formulaic responses to this complex problem. The media often talk of "queue jumpers" and "illegals" upsetting the orderly process. The management of queues is problematic at best and is an entirely inadequate description of what is an extremely complex scene worldwide.

The Salvation Army recommends a strategy be developed through the media, workplace and schools to educate the whole community about the positive dimensions of migration, including refugee settlement. Such a program has been discussed in administrative circles for many years but is yet to materialise in any conspicuous form. Meanwhile the situation overseas which leads people to seek refuge causes increasing concern among many Australians of goodwill and charity.

In particular, there are many misconceptions allowed to flourish unchecked, fuelling further racial and anti-ethnic prejudice. These misconceptions require specific attention by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA), especially by its media unit.

We wish to draw attention to the following misconceptions:

  • That asylum seekers are a net cost to Australia;

  • that asylum seekers will take our jobs;

  • that 'boat people' are the most prevalent group of illegal entrants into Australia;

  • that Americans and British 'illegals' are less of a concern than Asian and Middle Eastern 'illegals'

  • that asylum seekers are leaving a safe home and often simply seeking better economic conditions; and

  • that asylum seekers will destroy our culture and national identity.

  • Recommendations

The Salvation Army believes that the demand from displaced people seeking to enter Australia above designated government quotas will be an ongoing issue for all. We urge that human rights and dignity for people in crisis be a hallmark of an Australian response. To assist this response we recommend that;

  • An increase in the number of places by 3,000 to 15,000 be made available under the Humanitarian Program in the 2002 - 2003 financial year;
     

  • That asylum seekers, who declare their desire to enter Australia, and are viewed not to be a threat to the Australian community, should not be detained in custody but be monitored in the community whilst awaiting a response to their case; this especially applies to children and families. We are prepared to work with other community organizations to assist the Commonwealth with the care of asylum seekers while their claims are being assessed. ( This already occurs from some DIMIA facilities and during the 1996-1998 period not one asylum seeker released on a bridging visa failed to meet their reporting obligations)
     

  • That more resources be made available for the assessment procedures of asylum seekers to ensure the quickest processing possible.
     

  • A strategy be developed through the media, work place and schools to educate the whole community about the positive dimensions of migration, including refugee settlement; and
     

  • Greater linkages between the Migration and Humanitarian Programs and labour market programs are established to address the high rates of unemployment and consider other support options for low income and unemployed migrants and refugees.
     

  • Australia's 2002-2003 migration and humanitarian program should not be reduced because of the pressures of boat arrivals but other methods should be found to manage asylum seekers who feel compelled to enter Australia in this way.
     

  • People who have attempted to enter Australia without adequate documentation should not be treated as criminals. Although boat owners and their crews may be proven guilty of criminal offences, we recommend that their passengers be treated with compassion.
     

  • Whilst their claims for asylum are being assessed, we recommend that they be housed in safe and humane conditions and treated with dignity. During this period they should have access to a thorough medical examination and legal advice. They should not be compulsorily detained for more that ninety days, without an order of the court. After this, they should be released into the community while their claims are processed, with appropriate reporting requirements in place.
     

  • All asylum seekers released into the community should be supported with government finance while their claim is assessed. Once asylum seekers have been granted visas to live in Australia they should be entitled to a basic allowance ( subject to the normal means test ) equivalent to a homeless persons allowance.

Major Brad Halse, Communications Director
The Salvation Army Australia Southern Territory
Phone: (03) 8878 2406 Mobile: 0417 537 950