Greens candidate blasts Plibersek on refugees

The Greens candidate for the federal seat of Sydney has given sitting member Tanya Plibersek a tongue-lashing, accusing the Minister for Health of abandoning her principles on refugees.

Greens candidate Dianne Hiles, who will contest the seat at the September 14 federal election, said Ms Plibersek was party to draconian policies on asylum seekers which eclipse even the Howard Government’s record on boat people.

Ms Hiles, a founding member of Children Out of Immigration Detention (ChilOut), said she was “bitterly disappointed” in Ms Plibersek’s “back-flip” on asylum seekers.

“In the Howard Government era, Tanya joined us at ChilOut in helping secure the end of mandatory detention for children in immigration detention and offshore processing,” said Ms Hiles.

“But what we have seen under the Labor Government is a return to offshore processing [with] the government endorsing the re-opening of Nauru and Manus Island, and more asylum seekers in detention than ever.

“As a member of cabinet, Tanya Plibersek is party to decisions which are causing mental illness and self harm. For the sake of political expediency, it appears she has abandoned the principles she once held.”

Ms Hiles said Ms Plibersek’s “about-face” was the primary reason she was running against her in the seat of Sydney.

“This is an issue many people in Sydney feel very strongly about, and it’s important they be given the choice to vote for a party that doesn’t put innocent people, including mothers and children, behind barbed wire for years on end.”

Late last year, the number of asylum seekers languishing in Australian detention centres while awaiting health and security checks hit a record high, surpassing 10,000.

Ms Hiles said Greens policy held that refugees could live amongst the wider community while checks were being carried out, as currently happens in countries like Sweden and Spain.

Responding to Ms Hiles’ claims, Ms Plibersek said the federal government was looking at ways to fast track the processing of asylum seekers, to reduce the time they spent in immigration detention.

“No-one takes any joy in a policy area where asylum seekers fleeing persecution risk their own lives on dangerous sea journeys,” said Ms Plibersek.

“The government is continually looking at ways the processing of asylum claims can be speeded up. We are also moving more people into the community while their claims are being processed.”

Ms Plibersek claimed that far from being party to draconian policies, she was in fact a voice for asylum seekers.

“I have been a strong advocate for the humane treatment of asylum seekers,” she said.

“I am pleased that Australia will increase its refugee intake from 13,750 to 20,000 per annum and that more very vulnerable refugees including women will come to Australia.”

But Ms Hiles called on Ms Plibersek to speak up for asylum seekers in Parliament.

“Her silence on asylum seekers in Parliament is quite obvious,” she said.