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January 28, 2025

Tuesday 28 January 2025
Jade Gailberger
The Daily Telegraph

More than 2100 partners and family members of asylum seekers who arrived by boat have been granted permanent Australian visas, new figures show.

About 19,000 people who arrived before Operation Sovereign Borders commenced in 2013 became eligible to apply for permanent visas under an Albanese government reform.

The 2023 decision meant asylum seekers – who held or had applied for Temporary Protection Visas and Safe Haven Enterprise visas – would access to social security and family reunion rights if granted a Resolution of Status visa.

Home Affairs department figures show that 2158* permanent visas were granted to partners and family members of asylum seekers between February 13, 2023 and September 30, 2024.

Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson lashed the figures, claiming Labor had not only opened the door the illegal boat arrivals but thousands more people.

“Not only have they been allowed to stay permanently, they’ve even been able to bring in partners and family in huge numbers,” Senator Paterson said.

“No wonder people smugglers are testing Australia’s resolve again - they think Labor will eventually give in as they have with this cohort.

“Only a Dutton Coalition Government will restore operation sovereign borders to its full strength which first stopped Labor’s boats.”

Latest Operation Sovereign Borders data shows two boats carrying a total of 13 people attempted to come to Australia in November last year.

A Home Affairs department spokesperson said the government was committed to Operation Sovereign Borders.

“Australia’s border protection policies have not and will not change – any person who attempts to travel to Australia irregularly will not settle permanently here,” the spokesperson said.

“People who do not engage protection obligations, who are not awaiting a merits or judicial review outcome, and who have exhausted all avenues to remain in Australia, are expected to depart Australia voluntarily and may be provided assistance to depart.”

But Greens immigration spokesman David Shoebridge said at least 5000 people had been excluded from the Resolution of Status Visa process.

Senator Shoebridge said while some people who went through the now-abolished visa process were having their applications “assessed fairly”, the government was still saying that most people who had their claims refused had no way to correct it.

He accused the government of being weak saying Anthony Albanese was “happy to sell out multicultural Australia if it means he can squib a fight with Dutton”.

“This should be burning a hole in the ALP’s conscience, with thousands of people who sought asylum, many with partners and children, who had their claims unfairly rejected,” he said.

“You don’t accept the score if a football match has been rigged, but that is what the government is asking thousands of people seeking asylum to do.

“What is needed is a credible and fair pathway to permanent protection. The country celebrated when this was done for the Biloela family, now it is time to find a similar path for other families.”

*An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that 21,581 visas were granted to partners and family members of asylum seekers. This has been amended in the above copy with the correct figure of 2158.

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