Expert Panel's "compromise" will put people in danger again
Sydney 14th August, 2012

The Edmund Rice Centre welcomes the Expert Panel's recommendation to lift the humanitarian intake quota to 20,000 (to increase to 27,000 over next 5 years). This is a tacit recognition that there are serious conflicts around the world which force people to flee to escape death and persecution, in some of which conflicts Australia has played a very active role.

John Sweeney, coordinator of Research at ERC said today, "The Expert Panel's recommendations have as a central goal moving towards a truly integrated regional response to asylum seekers. According to UNHCR, there were more than 85000 people already recognised as refugees languishing in Malaysia at the end of 2011. And between July 2011 and April 2012, Australia had only accepted 1126 of these, the vast majority being Burmese nationals. Over the 18 months prior to that, Australia had only accepted 518. Over the last decade Australia has only averaged 60 visas a year for those refugees stuck in Indonesia." Mr Sweeney reflected.

"Australia is not in a position to criticise Malaysia and Indonesia unless it seriously attempts to address the backlog. Nor can Australia talk seriously about attempts to prevent people putting their lives at risk while there is no answer to those people already in the region who are already recognised to be fleeing death and persecution."

Downlaod release below