Community groups and migrant advocates urge Labor against rule changes
Tom McIlroy
Dozens of non-profit groups, multicultural advocacy organisations and social service agencies have urged the federal government not to proceed with changes to limit work rights for temporary migrants.
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, is working on new changes to cut overseas migration levels to Australia. It was reported last week the package, which is delayed pending cabinet deliberations, will include new rules removing some rights for temporary migrants applying for protection once their claim has been rejected.
Burke’s planned announcement at the National Press Club was delayed this month.
Nearly ۱۵۰ different organisations, including the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and Jesuit Social Services, have organised a massive open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, warning against restrictive changes.
It says removing work rights would strip people of their income and their independence, leaving them unable to pay rent, buy food or meet their most basic needs. Instead the letter urges investment in faster processing of applications, help for legal assistance and work rights.
“At a time when multiculturalism and migrant communities are facing growing attacks and scapegoating, Australia needs leadership that brings people together, upholds fairness and ensures our policies do not further harm communities already being targeted,” the letter says.
This is not the Australia we want to be and it is not the answer to the growing challenges facing our community.
Key events
Debate on NDIS legislation begins in the Senate today
The minister for the national disability insurance scheme (NDIS), Jenny McAllister, says she’s confident there is a deal to be reached with the Coalition overhauling the program.
Debate in the Senate will begin today and the government wants the legislation passed this week.
On Friday, the extended Senate inquiry examining the legislation handed down its report.
McAllister tells RN Breakfast:
I’m confident that there is an agreement to be reached here, and I say it for this reason. The coalition has said publicly that they think that reforming this scheme does matter. They’ve said that they’re up for that task.
Asked whether participants who will no longer be eligible to be on the scheme under the changes will be left high and dry with the states and territories dragging their feet on alternative support, McAllister says everyone will still be able to access help.
We’ve been really clear that we won’t leave people without supports and it’s why we’ve initiated a conversation about foundational supports well before any access changes. We don’t expect any changes to access to the scheme to occur until ۲۰۲۸.
We don’t want to leave people without supports and we don’t want to see people fall between two stools.
Joyce says One Nation are ‘not homophobes’, but won’t be seen at Mardi Gras
One Nation leader Barnaby Joyce says his party are not homophobes, but will absolutely not attend a Mardi Gras event.
Last week Joyce said One Nation was “one of the gayest parties in Australia” after comments surfaced from a failed candidate describing same-sex attraction as a mental illness.
Then Pauline Hanson was asked whether she still held her views from ۱۹۹۶ in when she said she didn’t like the event, and yesterday told News۲۴ she still doesn’t like it. She said she has “no problem” with same sex marriage, but that people should keep their sexuality “behind closed doors”.
Joyce told Sunrise this morning the party is saying that an individual’s sexuality is “their business”.
Everybody’s trying to make us as a pack of homophobes, which we’re not. It’s just ridiculous. And we’re not racist, we’re not homophobes, but we always get these tropes thrown at us …
You can absolutely bet I would not go to the Mardi Gras. But that’s my business, and we just want you to live your own life.
Community groups and migrant advocates urge Labor against rule changes
Tom McIlroy
Dozens of non-profit groups, multicultural advocacy organisations and social service agencies have urged the federal government not to proceed with changes to limit work rights for temporary migrants.
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, is working on new changes to cut overseas migration levels to Australia. It was reported last week the package, which is delayed pending cabinet deliberations, will include new rules removing some rights for temporary migrants applying for protection once their claim has been rejected.
Burke’s planned announcement at the National Press Club was delayed this month.
Nearly ۱۵۰ different organisations, including the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and Jesuit Social Services, have organised a massive open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, warning against restrictive changes.
It says removing work rights would strip people of their income and their independence, leaving them unable to pay rent, buy food or meet their most basic needs. Instead the letter urges investment in faster processing of applications, help for legal assistance and work rights.
“At a time when multiculturalism and migrant communities are facing growing attacks and scapegoating, Australia needs leadership that brings people together, upholds fairness and ensures our policies do not further harm communities already being targeted,” the letter says.
This is not the Australia we want to be and it is not the answer to the growing challenges facing our community.
Welcome
Krishani Dhanji
Good morning, Krishani Dhanji here with you for week two of this sitting fortnight.
We’re getting to crunch time on Labor’s proposed changes to the NDIS and gambling regulations – both are still on the negotiation table.
Barnaby Joyce has declared that One Nation are not homophobes on Sunrise, after he last week called One Nation “one of the gayest parties in Australia” – more on that in a moment.
And dozens of non-profit and community groups are urging Labor not to change rules that would limit work rights for temporary migrants.
Let’s get stuck in!
