News Release:
Cards 'could identify' illegal economic migrants
| Date 2/12/03 No 222/03 The introduction of identity cards in Australia would make it easier to detect illegal economic migrants, a speaker at an international conference at the University of New England said today. Professor Amarjit Kaur, one of the organisers of the Migrant Labour in South-east Asia: Needed, not Wanted conference, said most illegal immigrants came to Australia because of existing contacts within the country, and many managed to "get lost" through false papers and other documentation. "Australia and Britain for some reason have not introduced identification cards which would make it much more difficult for these illegal economic immigrants to stay in the country and would also open the way for genuine refugees," she said. She urged a more orderly approach to immigration and a more transparent policy to identify refugees: both the numbers to be accepted and the process for determining refugee status. "Refugees have a right to entry, and for economic migrants it is a privilege," she said. According to Professor Kaur, who lectures in the School of Economics at UNE, Australia’s refugee policy is unclear because there is no acknowledged quota system and the identification of those to receive refugee status is too drawn-out. At most it should take two years to complete the process and any appeals that might arise from a decision, she said. She said the Government should be making more use of existing migrant communities within Australia, non-government organisations based overseas, and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees to assist in identifying genuine refugees and fast-track their claims.
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The current situation encouraged people smugglers largely because there was no identity card system and because genuine refugees had no reference point to gauge the criteria by which they would be accepted. "Australia has a moral obligation to accept genuine refugees," she said. "We can afford to take greater numbers and show some humanity. There is no justification for placing children in detention centres." She said many poorer countries in the South-east Asian region relied on the foreign currency generated by the export of labour, and it was a major part of their economic development policies. However, some of the more stringent regulations (involving high administration charges) for families and individuals wanting to access legal migration systems encouraged illegal people smugglers, who undercut the fees and exaggerated their success levels. "There is no easy answer, as many countries are looking for sources of cheap labour but do not want any impost on their health, education and welfare systems or to encourage religious and cultural imbalances," she explained. Media contact: Professor Amarjit Kaur, School of Economics, UNE, Armidale (02) 6773 2874, or Lydia Clifford, Public Relations Manager, UNE, Armidale (02) 6773 2779. A photograph of Professor Kaur is available. Please contact Jim Scanlan on (02) 6773 3049. |
