UNOH, Urban Neighbours of Hope, today called on the Prime Minister to scrap Australia’s Asylum Seeker ‘no advantage’ policies and to allow asylum seekers to seek employment.
Brad Coath, a spokesperson for UNOH, which is a mission agency of Churches of Christ, said: ‘Given the Federal Government’s new polihcy under which all new asylum seekers are being sent to overseas countries, with no possibility of any ever being settled here, it makes no sense to continue to use ‘no advantage policies’ in dealing with asylum seekers already in Australia.’
Mr Coath said, ‘There is no reason to continue to slow down claims to supposedly deter others. Australia’s policies of mandatory detention and ‘no advantage’ have seen high incidence of mental illness, and particularly impact children, who have only two hours of schooling a day in very difficult circumstances.
He said, ‘UNOH is especially concerned for the welfare of the 8500 asylum seekers being held in detention around Australia, of which more than 1700 are children.’
Brad Coath said, ‘Currently asylum seekers in the community on bridging visas are prohibited from seeking paid employment, which is forcing them into poverty, and results in the Australian taxpayer funding all their living costs. Allowing them to seek work would provide them with income to pay rent and to buy food for their families. This would significantly reduce the incidence of mental illness among asylum seekers and relieve the financial burden on the Federal Government.’
Brad Coath, a spokesperson for UNOH
