More than 2,000 people who arrived in Australia by boat could be cut off from income support and rental assistance by July next year under a new Budget measure, according to the Immigration Department.
The government has been pursuing large numbers of what it calls ‘illegal maritime arrivals’ who have not yet applied for a visa, despite some having lived in Australia since 2012.
In the latest effort to engage the maritime asylum seekers, Immigration sent a wave of letters in January telling them they had 90 days to apply for a visa.
The letters warned them “their support services may cease if they do not lodge an application”, the department said.
Now, time has run out, and thousands of asylum seekers are set to lose their regular payments.
The 2017 Budget revealed the government will “resolve the protection status” of boat arrivals, cutting off support for those who do not make contact.
The measure will save an estimated $47 million over the next five years, Budget papers say.
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Around 8,000 of the roughly 30,000 people who arrived by boat between August 2012 and January 2014 - mostly under the previous Labor government - have so far “not been bothered to apply for a [visa]”, a department spokesman said.
During the Budget lockup, an Immigration official told SBS World News the department was expecting 2,500 to lose their income and rental assistance this financial year.
However, another Immigration spokesman later said the numbers were only “projections”.
“The Coalition has been working steadfastly to clean up Labor’s border failure mess which saw 50,000 illegal maritime arrivals (IMAs) flood into Australia,” Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said.
A screencapture from the 2017 Budget papers Source: SBS / James Elton-Pym
“Some of these IMAs have now been in Australia for five years and it is time for them to engage with the Department of Immigration to determine their status.”
Asylum seekers afraid to make contact
The not-for-profit Refugee Council is contacted “every day” by IMAs who are confused by the visa process, or fear they would be rejected and sent home.
Many of the 8,000 who have not made contact with the department are suffering “enormous anxiety”, according to Council spokesman Tim O’Connor.
“They’re worried that they’re going to be sent back to danger and potentially their death,” he told SBS World News.
“The government is, at the moment, sending people back to danger in Afghanistan, sending people even to places like Syria.”
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There are also language barriers to filling out complex visa application forms.
Many are waiting to access pro bono legal advice – from groups like Refugee Legal, the Refugee Advice and Casework Service and the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre – but those services are under “enormous strain”, Mr O’Connor said.
Others are simply not receiving letters from Immigration because of transient living arrangements.
“They’re having to stay with friends, people they know, or in many cases, generous Australians,” Mr O’Connor said.
'All stick and no carrot'
Many of the remaining IMAs are not working, because they lack the skills or the English requirements, making them rely heavily on government payments, according to the Council spokesman.
The government’s move to claw back nearly $50 million in payments would have a profound impact, Mr O’Connor said.
“This is devastating for people who are reliant on a very small amount of money from the government to survive,” he said.
“It’s cutting off their lifeline. This is all stick and no carrot. There’s no inducement for these people to engage with a system that they don’t understand.”
The Budget papers say some government services, like healthcare and Medicare assistance, will still be provided.
Those with poor English will still get access to translators.
And those assessed as ‘vulnerable’ will receive services including torture counselling, language training and job advice.
