Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says Australia would risk caving into the fearmongering of terrorists if it turned away refugees.
Ms Bishop said she did not agree with calls to close the nation’s borders following the deadly Paris attacks, saying stringent screening and vetting processes were in place for all refugee arrivals.
‘Australia is an open tolerant, free society – that would be caving into the extremists and terrorists who want to change our way of life,’ she told reporters in Manila on Monday.
Calls for a rethink of plans to resettle fleeing Syrians came after a passport, found near the body of one attacker, reportedly carried the name of a Syrian refugee.
The minister said those reports were yet to be confirmed by French authorities.
‘But we cannot succumb to the fear that the terrorist organisations thrive upon,’ she said.
With the terror alert level remaining high, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull expressed faith in the nation’s security agencies when he spoke to reporters at the G20 summit in Turkey on Monday.
‘Attacks in this environment are likely to happen in the future but Australians can be assured we have the best security agencies,’ he said.
‘They are monitoring the situation and are seeking to protect Australians at home and so far as we can abroad.’
As Parisians slowly come to terms with the tragedy of the unprecedented attacks in their city, thousands of people gathered across Australia on Monday to show their support.
Muslim and Catholic leaders, French expats and locals were among those who paused at candlelight vigils and memorial services in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney to remember the victims.
The three attacks in Paris left around 130 people dead and scores injured, including 19-year-old Hobart woman Emma Parkinson.
No Julie, it’s not ‘caving in’ it’s called self preservation. What’s wrong with this woman, is it the Turnbull influence that’s turning her brains to jelly?
Here is the letter I’d be sending to Julie Bishop with some criteria as a starting point:
Dear Foreign Minister,
Australia is willing to contribute its share to this humanitarian crisis. However in the interest of the country,
some benchmarks must be set to protect this privilege from abuse.
1- All applicants must be throughly screened. Any doubt in the results of screening should result in immediate detention to expulsion.
2- Australia expects all migrants to be of suitable moral character.
Therefore the following conditions must be met:
a) All new arrivals will be given a maximum of two years of Gov’t assistance. If after two years, the person or head of household is unable to support him or herself, they shall be expelled within thirty days.
b) New arrivals can request asylum ONLY for immediate family- father, mother, sons and daughters within the first two years. After two years, other family members can join the migrant family in Au but they too must then meet the two year maximum self-support condition if they were 18 years or older on the date of their arrival.
c) Any adults that have arrived as extended family members who cannot support themselves or be supported by their families shall be expelled. After the two year probation, the migrant must be self sufficient for at least 60 months out of 84 months or be dependent on their self sufficient family. Failing this, they shall be expelled within thirty days.
d) Migrants are expected to abide by Australia’s ‘Social Contract’ therefore anyone engaged in a felony, domestic violence, or other serious offence shall be expelled within thirty days with no opportunity to petition for re-entry.
e) All children of school age must remain in school and finish year twelve. Attendance at Madras or homeschooling is not an option.
f) After two years of residence, all migrants over the age of twelve must sit for a mandatory English Language Verbal proficiency exam. If applicant(s) are not sufficiently proficient in English within 24 months, they will be on twelve month’s probation at which time of expiration they shall be re-tested. Failure will result in expulsion for migrants eighteen years old or older.
I became a permanent resident then citizen several years ago and the criteria were certainly more stringent than this.
These people may be fleeing a war zone however that should not give them a ‘pass’ on their suitability and future ability to become good Aussie citizens.