Australia Opposition Promises New Crackdown on Illegal Immigration

Yahoo! News ^ | 1/18/04 | Unknown

[Siamese Princess]

SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia's Labor opposition promised a tough new crackdown on illegal immigration if it won the upcoming election, with identity cards for foreign workers and a coastguard with specially equipped patrol boats.

Far from relaxing Australia's immigration controls as many of its own supporters had hoped, opposition leader Mark Latham said Labor would increase them to make it even harder for illegal immigrants and asylum seekers to enter the country.

"Labor will always put the national interest first and that means keeping our labour market free of organised rackets that rely on illegal and exploited workers," he said in a statement.

"We must protect job opportunities for Australian residents first and foremost."

Immigration is shaping as a key issue in the election due by the end of this year, as it was in the 2001 poll in which Prime Minister John Howard won a third term on the back of a tough government policy introduced that year of turning away asylum seekers arriving by boat and diverting them to offshore holding camps.

As part of Labor's promised crackdown on illegal immigrants, identity cards similar to the US Green Card would be issued to non-residents with working visas.

Employers who hired illegal workers would face up to 12 months in jail, while companies would face fines up to 137,500 dollars (106,000 US).

Special tax file numbers would also be issued to foreign workers which would alert the government to those overstaying their visas or trying to work illegally.

A government strike force would conduct spot checks and monitor industries at high risk of employing illegal workers.

Latham said Howard had failed to tackle the problem of illegal workers in Australia, where there were estimated to be more than 60,000 illegal immigrants, up to half working illegally.

"If Mr. Howard reckons he has it right on border protection, why has he failed to target and eliminate these 30,000 illegal migrant workers?" he asked.

A Labor government would also double the number of coastguard volunteers and give them a key role in detecting smugglers, he said.

"We think it's absolutely vital for a nation with 37,000 kilometres (23,000 miles) of coastline to have a coastguard to guard us against the people smugglers, the drug smugglers the gun runners and the like."

Under the Labor plan, three 80-metre (264-foot), helicopter-carrying coastguard vessels would be based in the northern ports of Cairns, Darwin and Broome.

Volunteer coastguards would continue their vital rescue role but would also play a smuggler detection role in partnership with fulltime coastguards.

Latham said volunteers would not be expected to intercept, board and inspect suspicious vessels, but they could be "eyes and ears", detecting such vessels and alerting the coastguard.

[Siamese Princess]

In Australia, both major parties, Labor and Conservative, are in a race promising to do more to crack down on illegal immigration! Imagine -- a government that is actually responsive to the concerns of the great mass of its ordinary citizens, not just a few special interests or foreigners. Certainly not true of our government under either party.

[Mr. Mojo]

Refeshing to see that at least one nation has the guts to take a stand against the obliteration of their culture. .....And the violence committed by their Muslims has a lot to do with it.

[freeangel]

I'm thinking Australia sounds pretty good right now. At least they don't have their heads up their a%$%# anyway.

[Mr. Mojo]

I'm thinking Australia sounds pretty good right now.

Very strict gun control Down Under. Since their widespread gun ban, violent crime had increased significantly.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

Hmm if they deport their illegal aliens, who's going to do the jobs "no one wants to do?"

[sarasmom]

ping for comments

[Mr. Mojo]

Got a source for that?

Britain, Australia top U.S. in violent crime: Rates Down Under increase despite strict gun-control measures

[lsmith1990]

Personnaly I would rather live in Australia than in the USA. In 25 years Australia will be more or less as it is today. The USA will probably resemble Mexico with a slightly higher Per Capita GDP.

Australia does ban semi-automatic rifles
Hand guns were still allowed as of early 2003 but you had to keep them in a safe at home at all times. An incident in Melbourne one year ago may have changed the legal status of hand guns. And yes, crime especially in Western Sydney is shockingly high. Mostly Lebanses and Vietnamese gangs it places like Parramatta, Cabramatta and Liverpool and Blacktown all Western Suburbs oif Sydney

Purchasing power is less in OZ than in the US, especially homes and cars. Food especially fresh is much cheaper as Aussies have a free market in agriculture

I am pretty sure if I remember my ATO rules that the first 1$ of income is subject ot taxation and the top rate is 47% over 60k. There is no differentiation between earned and unearned income. On the other hand the country is practically debt free and there is a private health care option so you can opt out of their version of NHS.


Aussies probably are only second to americans when it comes to defence of the free market system and reverence for private property.


There is an internal Islamic problem caused by JI (jamai-islamia). ASIO has been cracking down on them and muslims make up about 2% of the population or 400,000 people. Slightly less than in the US as a %.

One of the things that attracted me to Australia was their no-nonsense appraoch to immigration and multi-culturalism (sans the awful SBS and ABC). They are not ashamed of their accomplishments as a nation, their PM will not apoligize for any of his views and they thumbed their noses at the UN when the UN criticised them for their immigration laws.


Also the Aussie SAS could march across Canada in about one week.

No Worries =) Their quality of life is heads and shoulders above the US's

[Mr. Mojo]

Aboriginies

[Shermy]

If the Democrats here came out the same, adios Bush.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

Aboriginies

Well yes I suspect all Australians do their own work. It completely blows a hole in the argument a modern country absolutely must have illegal immigration in order for their economy to survive.

[lsmith1990]

"If the Democrats here came out the same, adios Bush."

and if pigs could fly, so keep dreaming.

big difference is immigrants there do not constitute a pressure group or group that is pandered to unlike here.

[lsmith1990]

BTW minimum wage in OZ is $10.33 per hour

[Mr. Mojo]

If the Democrats here came out the same, adios Bush.

Yep. The question is, do they realize it?

[Kiss Me Hardy]

you're mostly right about taxes, smith, but a semi-smart accountant, some income splitting with the family, a little negative-gearing on the beach house and -- viola -- aussie taxes aren't half so onerous as they seem.

[lsmith1990]

oh yes if you immigrate illegally to Australia and are caught you get sent to a detention centre in the outback. Woomera is in the South Australian desert. Dont bother escaping if the elements dont get you the inland taipans probably will. I love OZ

[lsmith1990]

"If the Democrats here came out the same, adios Bush.
Yep. The question is, do they realize it?"

you guys dont seem to get the point. Why would they???

they would be pissing off millions of their own voters.

Seems like you guys are hoping for something that isnt going to happen.

Fact is by 2050 the USA will look like Brazil does today. There is nothing that will be done to stop it.

[CIBvet]

"Hmm if they deport their illegal aliens, who's going to do the jobs "no one wants to do?""

Hey maybe Presidente JORGE could be persuaded to send them just a few million of our ILLEGAL Mexicans.