Asylum seeker debate gets personal

Prime Minister Julia Gillard was 'dodgy', Opposition Leader Tony Abbott 'not a decent man', Parliament was told. Source: Herald Sun

TENSIONS over two immigration policies exploded today with Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott taking personal swipes at each other.

The Prime Minister said Mr Abbott had allowed a shadow minister to "stoke fears day after day" on asylum seekers, while Mr Abbott said Ms Gillard supported people who came here on welfare and opposed those who came to "contribute from day one".

The exchange, in separate interviews, made clear immigration would be a central election issue - although both sides struggled to defend their positions and both faced accusations they were taking positions for electoral advantage.

Ms Gillard again declined to detail instances of rorting of the 457 visas system which allows employers to bring in skilled foreign workers for short-term jobs when no local workers were available.

The Prime Minister wants a reduction in the 457 intake because she says it is taking away the jobs of Australians. She insisted "people have raised examples'" but refused calls from industry for her to identify abuses of the system.

Innes Willox, CEO of the Australian Industry Group, today said "there has been a lot of talk of abuse of the visa system" but it would be wrong to suggest the increased popularity of the visas meant employers were taking a soft option.

"Businesses have to pay a big premium for skilled workers from overseas and will always put local workers first when looking to fill skilled positions," Mr Willox told news.com.au.

"But they still can't get the skills they need in the right places.

"The increase in 457 visas is coming off a low base and clearly the numbers being approved show that there is a genuine need in the economy for more skilled workers."

Meanwhile, Mr Abbott declined to directly support a proposal from his immigration spokesman Scott Morrison for neighbourhoods to be notified when asylum seekers move in.

Mr Morrison’s measures, which would include "behavior protocols", have not been put to shadow cabinet and senior Liberals are having trouble justifying them with signs they will be opposed by some frontbench MPs.

The Prime Minister attacked the proposals and Mr Abbott.

"This is the man who in the run-up to the 2010 campaign and every day since has been out in the community, supported by his team, trying to raise fear, the man who's used expressions like 'peaceful invasion', the man who's let his shadow minister for immigration stoke fears day after day," she said.

"That's the the cynical approach that the Leader of the Opposition has taken to these issues."

In reply Mr Abbott defended the 457 visa system.

"The Government is tolerating people coming to this country and going on welfare and demonising people coming to this country and making a contribution from day one. That is the difference," he said.

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Asylum seeker charged over assault

POLICE charged a Sri Lankan asylum seeker yesterday over the alleged indecent assault of a university student, as it emerged the federal government has given the Red Cross $265 million for asylum seekers.

The 21-year-old was on a bridging visa, immigration officials confirmed after he was arrested near Central Station at 10.15am. He was later charged with aggravated break and enter and aggravated indecent assault.

It was revealed yesterday that police were not called by Macquarie University after a 20-year-old student was allegedly attacked in campus accommodation last Thursday.

There were 55 asylum seekers living in the student accommodation at the time of the attack. Asylum seekers have also been placed at the University of Western Sydney by the Red Cross, but those at Macquarie will leave by the end of next month, it was announced yesterday.

The charged man was believed to be visiting other asylum seekers at the campus but did not live there.

A security guard arrived at the housing block within minutes of the 3.20am incident but failed to call police, with the company which manages the accommodation declining to answer questions about the specific time police were called.

A university spokeswoman said "security protocol was not followed in the initial reporting of this incident to police."

Macquarie University claimed police were called by accommodation provider Campus Living at 7.40am, however police records show the call was not made until 9.56am.

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9yo asylum seeker overdosed

Asylum seekers are suffering in our detention centres. Picture: Renee Nowytarger Source: The Courier-Mail

A NINE-YEAR-OLD boy who overdosed on medication is among 26 cases of self-harming by children at asylum seeker detention centres in Darwin in a 16-month period, immigration department records have revealed.

The documents, which were obtained under Freedom of Information laws, tell of a 10-year-old boy who cut his arm with glass and a 17-year-old who tried to hang himself.

The nine-year-old boy who took an overdose of painkillers later told staff that he was "going crazy in detention".

The incident report details 26 cases of children harming themselves between August 2010 and November 2011 in the Darwin Airport Lodge and the Botanic Apartments.

Fernanda Dahlstrom, from the Darwin Asylum Seeker Support and Advocacy Network, who made the FOI request, said the cases showed children in detention were experiencing significant trauma.

"These documents concern one detention centre over a relatively short period of time," she said in a statement today.

"Children detained in other detention centres are likely to have gone through the same trauma as these children."

A spokesman for the immigration department said self-harm rates at immigration facilities decreased significantly in 2012 compared to 2011.

This was largely down to better mental health training for staff and the introduction of bridging visas and community detention options for would-be refugees.

"Sadly these things do happen from time to time," the spokesman told AAP.

"We do what we can to manage as best as possible by providing appropriate psychological support where it's needed."

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for young people aged 5 to 25)

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9yo asylum seeker overdosed in detention

Asylum seekers are suffering in our detention centres. Picture: Renee Nowytarger Source: The Courier-Mail

A NINE-YEAR-OLD boy who overdosed on medication is among 26 cases of self-harming by children at asylum seeker detention centres in Darwin in a 16-month period, immigration department records have revealed.

The documents, which were obtained under Freedom of Information laws, tell of a 10-year-old boy who cut his arm with glass and a 17-year-old who tried to hang himself.

The nine-year-old boy who took an overdose of painkillers later told staff that he was "going crazy in detention".

The incident report details 26 cases of children harming themselves between August 2010 and November 2011 in the Darwin Airport Lodge and the Botanic Apartments.

Fernanda Dahlstrom, from the Darwin Asylum Seeker Support and Advocacy Network, who made the FOI request, said the cases showed children in detention were experiencing significant trauma.

"These documents concern one detention centre over a relatively short period of time," she said in a statement today.

"Children detained in other detention centres are likely to have gone through the same trauma as these children."

A spokesman for the immigration department said self-harm rates at immigration facilities decreased significantly in 2012 compared to 2011.

This was largely down to better mental health training for staff and the introduction of bridging visas and community detention options for would-be refugees.

"Sadly these things do happen from time to time," the spokesman told AAP.

"We do what we can to manage as best as possible by providing appropriate psychological support where it's needed."

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for young people aged 5 to 25)

View the original article here