- Australia to detain tourists who overstay visas
- Visa overstayers have risen to 77,000
- Government to open 250 beds and add 100 compliance officers
- Australian Tourism Industry Council warns of reputation damage
- Refugee Council raises safety and legal concerns
Australian minister Matt Thistlethwaite has revealed the government will detain tourists who overstay visas to send a message of deterrence under new rules aimed at reducing levels of migration. Australia’s ruling Labour party has denied it is tightening visa rules in response to the rise of the far-right One Nation which has become one of the country’s most popular parties this year with pledges to drastically slash migration.
Under reforms revealed the country will stop family members accompanying students, introduce ballots for working holiday makers and crack down on overstayers. Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Matt Thistlethwaite stated tourists would be put in immigration detention to reduce the level of visa overstayers which has risen to 77,000. Since 2015 Australia’s immigration detention centres have held people with criminal convictions awaiting deportation after a policy change that saw mandatory cancellation of permanent visas for certain criminal offences.
Immigration Minister Tony Burke revealing the new policy stated the government would open 250 beds and add 100 compliance officers to house the visa overstayers in different facilities. Australian Tourism Industry Council chief executive Erin McLeod stated talk of detaining tourists was not good for Australia’s image. Refugee Council of Australia director of policy Rebecca Eckard stated the move raised safety and legal concerns.
