On the day that five members of the Iranian women’s soccer team were given humanitarian visas to protect them from possible persecution in Iran, the Albanese government introduced legislation which would have prevented them from entering Australia in the first place.
The Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) has called on the Government to withdraw the Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Bill, which gives the Immigration Minister power to prevent people already granted visas from entering Australia if the conditions change in their country of origin.
The smiles, welcoming arms and cheers of ‘Aussie Aussie Aussie’ shared yesterday by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke while providing safety to some of the Iranian women’s soccer team sharply contrast with the legislation the government introduced to the parliament several hours later.
Back to the dark ages?
RCOA Co-CEO Paul Power said the legislation would enable the minister to prevent people who have already been fully screened before the granting of a visa from entering Australia in circumstances where there has been some conflict or unrest in their country of origin.
‘If passed by the parliament, this legislation would seriously undermine Australia’s commitment to the principles of the Refugee Convention, the convention that Australia helped to draft under the Menzies Government 75 years ago,’ Mr Power said.
‘The drafters of the Refugee Convention did not want to see the world repeat what happened in the late 1930s, when governments including Australia closed their doors to Jewish refugees trying to leave Nazi-controlled Germany.
‘In 1938, Australia’s Trade and Customs Minister Thomas White attended an international conference in France on the fate of Jewish refugees, declaring that Australia would not help because it did not want to import a “racial problem”.
‘It is extraordinary that, on the same day the Albanese government took the step of protecting five Iranian citizens at risk, the same government introduces legislation entirely at odds with this very positive action. It seems that much less has changed since 1938 than we would like to believe.
‘Instead of building on today’s positive actions, the Albanese government appears set on subverting Australian values and international law. This legislation is another step towards ending access to asylum in Australia.’
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
