About 90 people attended the launch of a new book by Labor for Refugees titled Alternatives to offshore processing on June 17.
Labor for Refugees was one of many organisations which submitted policy ideas for the processing of refugees to the Houston inquiry last year. Although most of the 340 submissions received spoke against the policy of offshore processing, the three person panel recommended the federal government restore the system of processing asylum seekers in offshore detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru.
The panel also recommended a range of measures to deter asylum seekers from coming to Australia.
The punitive measures that have been implemented include making detention centres as unappealing as possible. At the book launch, mental health and refugee advocate Patrick McGorrie said the federal government is doing a “second injury” to asylum seekers who have already suffered mental health consequences from war, torture or repression.
The suicide of an asylum seeker at Wickham Point detention centre two days earlier highlighted how urgent the situation is.
Despite these deterrent tactics, there has been an increase in the number of asylum seekers coming to Australia by boat.
Labor for Refugees national co-convenor and editor of the book, Robin Rothfield, said the Labor government is breaching the party's platform with its cruel policy towards refugees.
The ALP platform states that asylum seekers who arrive by air or sea should receive equal treatment when it comes to the processing of their claims and access to support while on bridging visas.
It states that “Labor will ensure that asylum seekers who arrive by irregular means will not be punished for their mode of arrival.” It also states that it will comply with and international treaties and not send refugees back to their point of origin.
Under the new punitive measures, when asylum seekers are released on bridging visas, they are not allowed to work. With no money and no employment, many are living in desperate conditions. Released refugees are not allowed permanent visas or the right to work and need to survive on an allowance that is 79% of the Newstart allowance.